2000
2000
6,000 acres of old forest, home to the endangered thick-billed parrot, protected from development through community agreements and stewardship in Chihuahua, Mexico, in the Western Wildway.
Thank You for Standing With Us
Thirty-five years ago, a group of scientists and activists came together and said: this is what’s possible. Everything since then has been a shared effort, made possible by people like you who believe that wild places and wild animals are worth protecting.
As we look ahead to the next thirty-five years, we are proud of the community that has grown around this mission and the path we have walked together. There is meaningful work ahead, and we are grateful to be doing it alongside you. Thank you for being a part of this story.
Our History
In 1991, prominent conservation biologists and environmental activists founded Wildlands Network with a bold vision for a divided continent: a landscape connected from Canada to Mexico across three distinct Wildways, where all species could move freely amid human development. Protecting core habitats, the corridors between them, and the carnivores among them was at the heart of that vision — and it remains at the heart of everything we do today.
Our Evolution
Over the last 35 years, Wildlands Network has stood by that vision, advocating for wild landscapes across borders, roads, policies, and communities to protect biodiversity and address the climate crisis. Alongside partners and supporters, we’ve championed hundreds of species, wildlife crossings, research projects, and innovative policies. Backed by science, research, and community engagement, our founders’ vision of connection is becoming a reality.
2016
2016
Saved Hoffman Forest, the largest state-owned property in North Carolina, from proposed development and secured permanent protection for this ecological gem.
2019
2019
Secured passage of the New Mexico Corridors Act, creating a template for state investment and planning to protect wildlife corridors that spawned related legislation across the United States.
2021
2021
$350 million in federal funding for wildlife crossings as a result of coordinated education and lobbying efforts.
2023
2023
Small wildlife passages incorporated in the U.S.-Mexico Border Wall based on Wildlands Nework’s guidance.
Championed a federal ban in Mexico for mining in Natural Protected Areas (NPAs), officially prioritizing land protection and human rights in the countries’ most important conservation areas.
2024
2024
Sponsored successful legislation in California requiring cities and counties to incorporate wildlife connectivity into their general plans.
“The land has given much to us – it’s time we give something back. What we seek is a path that leads to beauty, abundance, wholeness and wildness; nothing less than the full flowering of the natural biological diversity of North America. We welcome all those who share this audacious vision and passion.”
– Wildlands Network Founders, “Wild Earth” Special Issue
WildEARTH: A Voice for the Wild
Before rewilding was a movement, WildEarth magazine was making a case for it.
From 1991 to 2004, this groundbreaking publication united scientists, advocates, and dreamers. It gave them a platform to think big: continental-scale deep ecology, and the radical idea that nature deserves more than just protection. It deserves restoration.
Revisit the publication that helped reshape conservation for decades. Its pages document a shared vision that is more urgent than ever.
What Comes Next
The wild has always called people together. For 35 years, that call has grown into something bigger than any one organization — a network of voices across North America united by a shared belief that connected landscapes mean a future where wildlife can thrive. Learn more about our plan to carry that vision forward.
Read Our Strategic Plan
Join the Movement
Thirty-five years of connection is just the beginning.
Your support helps us write the next chapter.
