The Wildlands Conservancy

{{Infobox organization

| name = The Wildlands Conservancy

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| abbreviation = TWC

| formation = {{Start date and age|1995}}

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| type = 501(c)(3) non-profit

| status = Nonprofit organization

| purpose = Environmental conservation

| headquarters = Oak Glen, San Bernardino County, California

| region = California, Oregon, Utah

| methods = Buy land and open to public

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| staff = 91IRS form 990 for 2022

| staff_year = 2022

| volunteers = 900

| volunteers_year = 2022

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| website = {{URL|http://www.wildlandsconservancy.org/}}

}}

The Wildlands Conservancy is a nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve land for public recreation. It manages 25 preserves, detailed in the list of its preserves, covering over {{convert|200000|acres|ha}} across the western United States. The preserve system encompasses diverse landscapes including mountains, valleys, deserts, rivers, and oceanfront lands. The Wildlands Conservancy buys and restores land, builds public visitor facilities, and provides outdoor education programs for children. All usage (hiking, camping, education programs) is free of charge, attracting over 1.5 million visitors annually.{{Cite web|title=The Wildlands Conservancy|url=https://wildlandsconservancy.org/|access-date=2023-08-15|website=The Wildlands Conservancy|language=en-US}}{{cite episode|title=Carmel Valley's Newest Preserve and Kern County's Tule Elk|series=OpenRoad|network=NBC Bay Area|airdate=2024-04-07|number=92|url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/openroad/open-road-carmel-valley-kern-county/3501323/|access-date=2024-05-05}}

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History

The California Desert Protection Act of 1994 established two national parks, one national preserve, and 69 wilderness areas. However, private inholdings persisted within these newly designated public lands. From 1999 to 2004, The Wildlands Conservancy undertook an extensive effort to acquire 646,000 acres of private inholdings situated within the California desert. These lands were subsequently transferred to various government agencies to be preserved.{{Cite web |title=California Desert Land Acquisition » The Wildlands Conservancy |url=https://wildlandsconservancy.org/conservation/cadesertlandacquisition |access-date=2023-08-15 |website=The Wildlands Conservancy |language=en-US}}

From 1995 to 2000, the organization established a set of preserves in Southern California, including the San Bernardino Mountains and desert canyons. The conservancy acquired a historic trout hatchery and rehabilitated the area in 2005, resulting in the creation of the Whitewater Preserve, which provided access to the San Gorgonio Wilderness.

Starting in 2005, The Wildlands Conservancy expanded its efforts into Northern California, preserving land along the Eel River and the Sonoma Coast.{{cite web|title=Eel River Emerald Necklace|url=https://issuu.com/the_wildlands_conservancy/docs/eren_onlinebrochure_may2016_forissu |access-date=2023-08-15}}{{cite web|title=5,630-acre Jenner Highlands saved for public|first=Jane|last=Kay|date=December 4, 2008|newspaper=SFGATE|url=https://www.sfgate.com/green/article/5-630-acre-Jenner-Highlands-saved-for-public-3181964.php}}

President Obama designated three national monuments in 2016: Sand to Snow National Monument, Mojave Trails National Monument, and Castle Mountains National Monument. The Sand to Snow National Monument encompassed the Whitewater Preserve and Mission Creek Preserve, and substantial land previously acquired and transferred by the conservancy contributed to the Mojave Trails National Monument.{{cite web|title=Feinstein introduces desert preservation act|url=http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20150209/feinstein-introduces-desert-preservation-act|work=The Sun|access-date=8 June 2015|date=February 9, 2015}}{{cite web|title=Monumental Achievement: One of the West’s great natural wonders — the Sand to Snow National Monument — has finallly been given the recognition and protection it deserves …and it’s in the Coachella Valley’s backyard.|first=Bernadette|last=Murphy|date=September 1, 2016|newspaper=Palm Springs Life|url=https://www.palmspringslife.com/monumental-achievement/}}{{cite AV media|first=Jack|last=Thompson|date=April 19, 2016|title=Inside the California Desert's newest National Monuments|type=Video|location=United States|publisher=Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IvZxzePClI}}

Between 2015 and 2021, The Wildlands Conservancy continued its conservation efforts by establishing various preserves across California, including within the eastern Sierra Nevada region.

In 2022, the organization expanded its initiatives beyond California's borders, venturing into Oregon for the first time.{{cite web|title=Conservancy purchases Oregon ranch, plans 'climate preserve'|first=George|last=Plaven|date=April 21, 2022|newspaper=Capital Press|url=https://www.capitalpress.com/state/oregon/conservancy-purchases-oregon-ranch-plans-climate-preserve/article_b5f0866a-c0f0-11ec-b219-735d53608904.html}} In 2023, it further extended its mission to Utah through the acquisition of land at the boundary of Bears Ears National Monument.{{cite web|title=Conservation nonprofit acquires 320-acre piece of private property in Bears Ears National Monument|first=Jenna|last=Bree|date=July 25, 2023|newspaper=Fox 13 Utah|url=https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/conservation-nonprofit-acquires-320-acre-piece-of-private-property-in-bears-ears-national-monument}}

Regions

The preserves are located in various regions.

=Coast=

File:Wildlands Jenner Headlands Russian River.jpg|Jenner Headlands

File:Wildlands Estero Americano Coast Mouth.jpg|Estero Americano Coast

=Desert=

North America has multiple deserts and the conservancy has preserves in many of them.

Columbia Plateau: Enchanted Rocks Preserve
Colorado Plateau: Speaking Springs Preserve
Great Basin Desert: West Walker River Preserve, Two Rivers Preserve
Mojave Desert: Pioneertown Mountains Preserve
Sonoran Desert and Mojave Desert ecotone: Mission Creek Preserve, Whitewater Preserve

Works

{{cite AV media

| author = Jack Thompson (The Wildlands Conservancy)

| title = Inside the California Desert's Newest National Monuments

| date = April 19, 2016

| type = Video

| publisher = Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory

| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IvZxzePClI

}}

{{cite episode

| title = Carmel Valley's Newest Preserve and Kern County's Tule Elk

| series = OpenRoad

| network = NBC Bay Area

| airdate = 2024-04-07

| number = 92

| url = https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/openroad/open-road-carmel-valley-kern-county/3501323/

| access-date = 2024-05-05

}} OpenRoad had editorial control. The Wildlands Conservancy funded the episode.

{{Cite book | last = The Wildlands Conservancy | title = Behold the Beauty | date = December 28, 2012 | edition = 1st | publisher = The Wildlands Conservancy | isbn = 978-0988819702}}
{{Cite book | last = The Wildlands Conservancy | title = Behold the Beauty | date = 2021 | edition = 2nd | publisher = The Wildlands Conservancy | isbn = | url=https://wildlandsconservancy.org/behold-the-beauty-book-ii}}