Meet NWC member, @sierraclub.org! Their mission is to explore, enjoy & protect wild places; to practice & promote responsible use of ecosystems & resources; to educate & enlist humanity to protect & restore the quality of the natural & human environment; & to use all lawful means to do so.

Wilderness of the Month: Organ Mountains Wilderness Size: 19,916 acres Designated: 2019 Location: New Mexico Managed by: Bureau of Land Management Photo courtesy of Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce

Wilderness is for everyone. The Wilderness Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act work *with* each other, not against each other. The use of wheelchairs, mobility devices, and service animals *is* permitted in wilderness areas provided they are suitable for both indoor as well as outdoor use.

Meet NWC Member Wilderness Workshop. They protect western Colorado’s public lands from industrial development, climate change, & short-term exploitation. Why? For intact and thriving ecosystems, a liveable planet for current & future generations, & the moment of awe only experienced in a wild place.

Wilderness of the Month: Gaylord Nelson Wilderness Size: 33,500 acres Designated: 2004 Location: Wisconsin Managed by: National Park Service Photo courtesy of Eric Miller/Reuters/Corbis

With the passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act, "wilderness" became an actual legal term. And yet, it still means many different things to many different people. What does wilderness mean to you?

‼️ BLM nominee Steve Pearce in 2012: the West has lots of public land, and “most of it we do not even need.” ‼️ This can’t be the guy in charge of 245 million acres of our public lands! Contact your Senator TODAY to tell them we deserve better.

Meet NWC Member, grandcanyontrust.bsky.social! The Trust advocates for healthy land, water, air, & communities in AZ, UT, CO, and NM. They collaborate with scientists & federal agencies, listen to & take direction from Native communities, mobilize advocates & volunteers, & achieve lasting results.

Wilderness of the Month: Stikine-LeConte Wilderness Size: 436,084 acres Designated: 1980 Location: Alaska Managed by: US Forest Service Photo courtesy of US Forest Service

Wilderness stewardship is is led by four land management agencies—National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, & Bureau of Land Management—which makes proper funding and staffing critical to the health of wild places! Learn more: bit.ly/nwcwildernes...

Meet Native Women's Wilderness, NWC member and part of our Steering Committee. Native Women's Wilderness brings Native women together to share their stories, support each other, & learn from one another as they explore & celebrate the wilderness & their native lands. www.nativewomenswilderness.org

Wilderness of the Month: Upper Buffalo Wilderness Area Location: Arkansas Size: 11,978 acres Designated: 1975 Managed by: US Forest Service Photo courtesy of Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

Tomorrow, we're launching our brand new wilderness newsletter. Haven't subscribed yet? Sign up to get wilderness-related news and updates from wilderness campaigns across the country sent straight to your inbox each month. Don't miss out: bit.ly/NWCnewsletter

Congress has used the Wilderness Act to protect so many wild places...and there are still so many more that deserve protection so current and future generations can continue to enjoy them!

New year, new newsletter! We're excited to announce the launch of our new monthly wilderness newsletter. Sign up to receive wilderness-related stories and updates on wilderness campaigns across the country. First newsletter drops January 21! Subscribe: bit.ly/NWCnewsletter

This month's member spotlight! Based in Washington State, the Kettle Range Conservation Group works to protect critical habitat for native terrestrial and aquatic species & safeguard resources of clean water, outdoor recreation and natural scenic beauty. Proud to call them a Coalition member!

2025 was not an easy year for protecting wilderness, but we're proud of our work to build a vibrant and diverse wilderness movement, rebuild a strong presence in Washington, DC, cultivate champions in Congress, and build relationships with Indigenous Peoples and Tribal Nations. See you in 2026!

Wilderness of the Month: Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness Location: Idaho Size: 89,820 acres Designated: 2009 (Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management)

We are deeply alarmed by the nomination of Steve Pearce as Dir. of Bureau of Land Management. Pearce has villainized public lands, called for the sale of irreplaceable landscapes, sought to eliminate protections for wilderness-quality lands, and aimed to weaken bedrock environmental legislation.

Wilderness is a bipartisan issue! That's why the National Wilderness Coalition works to recruit and nurture champions in Congress who believe in wilderness and who are willing to advocate for new designations and defend the Wilderness Act against attacks.

NWC is proud to work w/ @elpcenter.bsky.social, the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy organization. They drive transformational policy changes, show that environmental progress and economic development can be achieved together, and defend the Midwest’s wild and natural places.

Wilderness of the Month: Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Location: Colorado Size: 181,973 acres Designated: 1964, expanded in 1980 (Photo courtesy of US Forest Service)

80+ advocates packed the room in DC for our first live recording during National Wilderness Week. Senator Tina Smith joins us to talk about the Boundary Waters, the threats facing public lands, and the power of stories, persistence, and people working together. On all the players and thewildidea.com

Big thank you to Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota (@smith.senate.gov) for joining today's live recording of The Wild Idea Podcast (@wildideapod.bsky.social) with the National Wilderness Coalition! Listen to the conversation when the episode drops on September 23 anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Follow us as wilderness & public lands advocates gather in D.C. to talk to Congress about how important wild places are to our communities, economies & ecosystems! You can even join a live recording of @wildideapod.bsky.social w/ Sen. Tina Smith! thewildideapodcastlivewithsenatorsmith.eventbrite.com

The National Wilderness Coalition opposes the Administration’s proposed rescission of the regulatory definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act. This attack on endangered species–and the public lands they inhabit–would have devastating impacts on American landscapes including wilderness