The Wildlands Conservancy

The Wildlands Conservancy is California’s largest nonprofit nature preserve system. It protects and maintains more than 20 nature preserves in California and one in Central Oregon.

The Wildlands Conservancy founded the Behold the Beauty Association, which operates under seven core tenants including the belief that the earth is sacred and there should be free access to all preserves. The conservancy emphasizes educating children and allowing them to have free outdoor opportunities. The organization works to heal human impacts to the earth, defends its preserves from exploitation, and limits activities to passive recreation such as hiking, camping, and photography. To spread an appreciation of nature to as many people as possible, the conservancy provides free membership.

The conservancy has hosted free outdoor education programs for 25,000 children each year and funded week-long nature trips for 60,000. Not only do children learn outdoor skills and develop a love for nature through these programs, but being in the outdoors has proven to have therapeutic effects and reduce anti-social behavior, something especially critical for youth.

The Wildlands Conservancy has several conservation projects all occurring simultaneously, including landscape linkages, wildlife corridors, river parkways, and national monuments.

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