Wildlands Network

Wildlands Network
Name	Wildlands Network
Formation	1991
Type	Nonprofit conservation organization
Headquarters	Seattle, Washington
Region served	North America
Leader title	CEO

Wildlands Network Wildlands Network is a North American conservation organization focused on landscape-scale connectivity to conserve biodiversity, ecosystems, and species migration corridors. Founded in 1991 amid rising attention to habitat fragmentation, the organization has worked with regional, national, and international partners to promote connectivity planning, scientific research, and policy change. Wildlands Network's activities span project design, scientific collaboration, advocacy campaigns, and capacity building across bioregions including the Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest, and Eastern forests.

History

Founded in 1991 during a period of heightened conservation activity following events such as the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit and the expansion of National Wildlife Federation, the organization emerged alongside groups like The Wilderness Society, Sierra Club, and World Wildlife Fund US. Early initiatives connected to large-scale conservation planning were informed by precedents set by the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative and the concept of biological corridors advanced by researchers affiliated with institutions such as University of California, Berkeley, University of British Columbia, and Duke University. In the 1990s and 2000s the group collaborated on projects referencing landscapes like the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the Boreal Forest, and the Appalachian Mountains, and engaged in campaigns alongside Audubon Society and Defenders of Wildlife. Milestones include mapping connectivity priorities paralleling efforts by the Nature Conservancy and participating in cross-border dialogues with agencies including the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and Parks Canada.

Mission and Goals

The stated mission emphasizes creation and protection of connected networks of protected and restored lands and waters informed by science used by organizations such as Conservation International, IUCN, and academic partners at Stanford University and Yale University. Goals include conserving wide-ranging species exemplified by grizzly bear, gray wolf, and puma, while supporting ecosystem services relevant to stakeholders like Indigenous peoples including nations represented in forums such as the Assembly of First Nations and organizations like Native American Rights Fund. Strategic aims align with international targets articulated in agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and national strategies from agencies like the United States Forest Service.

Conservation Programs

Programmatic work addresses corridor design, protected area expansion, and habitat restoration in regions including the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, Northern Rockies, and Appalachian Trail landscape. Initiatives have paralleled restoration projects undertaken by groups such as The Nature Conservancy, Rewilding Europe, and World Wildlife Fund and incorporated tools developed at research centers like Smithsonian Institution and National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. Field programs have interfaced with land trusts such as The Trust for Public Land and regional entities like Yukon Conservation Society, and have mobilized volunteers through partnerships with organizations like Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado.

Science and Research

Science underpins planning work through collaborations with universities and research institutes including University of Montana, Colorado State University, McGill University, and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Research topics include connectivity modeling, movement ecology, and climate-resilient corridors drawing on methods from labs at National Aeronautics and Space Administration, US Geological Survey, and the Natural Resources Canada mapping programs. Publications and technical guidance have been developed in the vein of scholarship appearing in journals like Conservation Biology, Ecological Applications, and Global Change Biology, and informed by monitoring efforts such as radio-telemetry studies of species tracked in projects associated with World Wide Fund for Nature collaborators.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The organization works with conservation NGOs, academic institutions, government agencies, and Indigenous organizations, forming coalitions with entities including National Parks Conservation Association, Environment and Climate Change Canada, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and regional groups like Idaho Conservation League and BC Parks. Cross-border conservation efforts have involved engagement with initiatives such as Yellowstone to Yukon and international programs under the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Collaborative grant-funded projects have linked to foundations like the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and research networks including the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Advocacy and Policy

Advocacy activity targets policy instruments at federal and state/provincial levels such as statutes and planning processes within United States Department of the Interior, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and provincial ministries like British Columbia Ministry of Environment and state agencies including the Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Campaigns have intersected with broader conservation policy debates involving legislation referenced by groups like Defenders of Wildlife and court cases heard in jurisdictions such as the United States Court of Appeals and provincial courts. Outreach and public education efforts have leveraged media partnerships with organizations including National Geographic Society and environmental reporting by outlets like The New York Times and The Guardian.

Funding and Organizational Structure

Funding sources include private foundations (for example, foundations associated with Rockefeller Foundation-scale philanthropy), individual donors, and grants administered through intermediaries like Fidelity Charitable and collaborative funding mechanisms involving organizations such as Conservation Finance Alliance. Governance comprises a board with members drawn from conservation NGOs, academic institutions, and Indigenous leadership with advisory input from scientists affiliated with Smithsonian Institution and universities including University of Washington and University of British Columbia. Operational partnerships for project delivery have included regional land trusts, municipal governments such as City of Seattle, and international conservation networks like IUCN.

Category:Conservation organizations