WiserEarth Editors

Founded in 1974, WILD is the only international organization dedicated entirely and explicitly to wilderness protection around the world.

WILD works to protect the planet's last wild places and the wildlife and people who depend upon them, because wilderness areas provide essential social, spiritual, biological and economic benefits. We believe that intact wilderness areas are an essential core element of a healthy modern society.  Read our 2007 Annual Report

Our Main Program Areas

1. World Wilderness Congress
2. Wilderness Policy and Research
3. Communications
4. Field Projects

How WILD Works:

• We bring the wilderness conservation community together and achieve practical conservation results through the World Wilderness Congresses and through the Wilderness Task Force of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature;
• We compile and disseminate the latest information on wilderness conservation;
• We develop and field test new approaches to wilderness conservation;
• We work with traditional societies to learn from their experiences as land stewards, and to help protect their wild ancestral lands;
• We develop new tools for designating and managing wilderness protected areas;
• We incubate wilderness conservation organizations in other countries;
• We work with the Wilderness Network to provide experiential wilderness programs;
• We train wilderness protected area managers; and
• We implement wildlife protection projects.

The World Wilderness Congresses and the Wilderness Task Force (a task force of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, founded and co-chaired by WILD) give WILD unique convening power. We bring people together from every part of the planet and every walk of life, we gather their stories and information, we celebrate their successes, we provide them with tools and resources, and most importantly, we help channel their energy, passion, and creativity into new and more effective conservation.

Our ability to leverage people and resources, and our commitment to organizing networks and forming partnerships allows us to generate results in the field quickly, efficiently - and far beyond the ability of most small organizations.