The Save the Dunes Council of northwest Indiana was founded in 1952, one of the oldest grassroots conservation organizations in the country. Its objectives are to maintain and restore the integrity and quality of the natural environment of the Indiana Dunes region. The hard work of Save the Dunes Council members led to the establishment of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in 1966; the group continues to work on a wide variety of issues concerning the Dunes and the environmental quality of the area. The efforts of the Save the Dunes Council are supported entirely by membership dues, donations and volunteer time.