Why California

California is the nation’s most geographically diverse state and it has more than six million acres of potential wilderness. Protection of its wildlands is critical to buffer against climate change and population growth.

What's at stake

California is the nation’s most geographically diverse state – home to the highest and lowest points in the Lower 48 states, the most climate zones and species. Although it has 44 million acres of public land, it’s also the state with the most people.

From snow-capped mountain peaks to scenic Old West desert to classic coastal vistas, much of California is still wild. In fact, the state’s 15 million acres of wilderness is more than any other state except for Alaska.

What we're doing

The Golden State has another six and a half million acres of federal wild lands that can still be protected. The Wilderness Society is working across the state to preserve some of these amazing places.

The Wilderness Society is also restoring the forest to improve habitat and protect the creeks and rivers that are important water sources. We are keeping forests healthy by removing obsolete or illegal roads, encouraging sustainable forest management and working to battle climate change.

Successes

In the last decade, The Wilderness Society and its partners have permanently protected more than one million acres of California wilderness. The Wilderness Society was part of a successful legal agreement that will protect more than one million acres of Southern California forest.

  • Dear Representative Gosar:

    On behalf of the National Association of Counties (NACo), I am writing to express our support of the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (H.R. 596). This landmark legislation would extend royalties and lease income from solar and wind projects developed on Federal lands to home states and counties.

  • Dear Representative Gosar:

    We are writing to express our support for sharing with states and counties renewable energy royalty revenues from federal lands. The language contained in the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (HR 596) which you have introduced in the House would enact such revenue sharing.

  • Outdoor Alliance, a coalition of six national, member-based organizations, including Access Fund, American Canoe Association, American Hiking Society, American Whitewater, International Mountain Bicycling Association, and Winter Wildlands Alliance, represents the interests of the millions of Americans who hike, paddle, climb, mountain bike, and backcountry ski on our nation’s public lands, waters, and snowscapes. Collectively, Outdoor Alliance has members in all fifty states and a network of nearly 1,400 local clubs and advocacy groups across the nation.