STORIES FROM THE WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY
Strategic Conservation: How Wildlands Supports Public Lands Beyond Preserve Boundaries
Public lands face increasing threats to their legal protections and landscape connectivity. The Wildlands Conservancy is uniquely positioned to create lasting conservation impact, working through our threshold preserves that connect to iconic landscapes like Bears Ears and Sand to Snow National Monuments. Through our ongoing landscape-scale efforts, we remain dedicated to preserving these landscapes and impacting conservation to the public lands beyond our boundaries. Learn more about Wildlands’ initiatives in this article by Four Corners Regional Director, Dave Herrero.
A Message from Our Executive Director
In 2025, we will celebrate 30 years since The Wildlands Conservancy’s founding — a journey rooted in passion, purpose, and a commitment to preserving California’s natural beauty for everyone. From free public access to inspiring youth in nature, our guiding principles have shaped not only our preserves but the lives of countless visitors.
Discover the stories, milestones, and the unforgettable moments that make our mission come alive.
Our Impact » 2024
Our impact this year — and every year — has been made possible by the continued dedication of our volunteers, the generosity of our donors, and the support of our valued partners. Together, we’ve expanded land protection, restored critical habitats, and ensured free public access and outdoor education for all.
Saving the Mojave: A Journey of Love, Resilience, and Conservation
Stretching out beneath an endless sky, the Mojave Desert offers more than just a barren landscape — it’s a place of profound beauty, silence, and resilience. It’s a land that fosters introspection and where native species such as the desert tortoise and bighorn sheep exist in a delicate ecosystem. In an act of environmental heroism, out of a love for wilderness and its beauty, The Wildlands Conservancy stepped forward to protect this precious expanse.
Sparking Wonder at Wind Wolves Preserve
Sherryl Clendenen, biologist and outdoor educator who worked for Wildlands from 1998 to 2015, Wind Wolves Preserve was the perfect venue to integrate science and history into the lives of local students in a way that made learning come alive. Learn what shaped her philosophy and guided her work at Wind Wolves Preserve, where she built the outdoor education program from the ground up.
Birds of the Whitewater Preserve: White-Crowned Sparrow
As fall settles in, bird enthusiasts at Whitewater Preserve are treated to the arrival of one of Southern California’s wintering favorites: the Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrow. In his latest "Field Notes" entry, ornithologist Stephen Myers dives into the fascinating life cycle of this striking bird, from its breeding grounds in the Alaskan tundra to its winter visits to our shrubby habitats.
Desert Bird Spotlight: Summer Tanager
Summer Tanagers nest in only a handful of areas in California, including along the Colorado River, at Morongo Valley, the Kern River area, the Mojave River near Victorville, and of course, Whitewater Canyon. Mature riparian woodland or forest is their prime nesting habitat, including areas dominated by cottonwoods and willows.