What a year it has been! In this issue of Wildlands Connection you'll learn about many of the projects we have been working on in 2005. Our efforts include defending the Endangered Species Act on Capitol Hill, finishing up our scientific research for our large-scale conservation plan for the Northern Appalachians, and hosting workshops on habitat connectivity along the U.S.-Mexico border.

These individual projects are all important steps in our quest to create a continental system of connected wildlands across the continent. This science-based vision for a wild North America--first championed by the Wildlands Project nearly 15 years ago--continues to inspire everything we do on the ground today.

Turning such a grand vision into reality is a long-term project that requires the dedication and support of countless partners from all walks of life. Our members and allies in the conservation movement are critical to implementing this vision, and I thank you for your dedication and support of our work.

Yet, in order to truly make a difference, we must move beyond our traditional circle of friends and reach out to a much wider audience. I am delighted to announce that we have been awarded a special grant by the Threshold Foundation that will allow us to do just that.

This fall, the Wildlands Project, along with Threshold Foundation grantees at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) and the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard University, will begin discussions on how to work together to raise public awareness of the extinction crisis using the latest multimedia and Internet technology. By using video and animation technology to present the extinction crisis in a simple and compelling way, we hope to reach millions of North Americans who the conservation movement has had difficulty connecting with in the past.

We are very excited to be working with these new partners at CIIS and Harvard, and we look forward to the powerful synergy working together will create. I want to thank Jonathan Freidman from Threshold Foundation and Jamie Philips from the Wildlands Project board for making this possible. Watch for updates on this exciting project in early 2006.

Finally, I want to inform you of several recent changes on our Board of Directors. Earlier this year we welcomed back Dr. Michael Soulé after a three-year absence. Long-time supporters will remember Michael as one of the original founders of the Wildlands Project and as a pioneer in the field of conservation biology. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of California-Santa Cruz and resides in Colorado.

Dennis Sizemore also joined the board this year. Dennis has done wonderful things as Executive Director of Round River Conservation Studies, and we welcome his enthusiasm and expertise in program management and fundraising.

Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank outgoing President David Johns for his tireless service on behalf of wild nature and introduce Mary Granskou as our new Board President. Mary lives in Ottawa, Ontario and is currently a Senior Policy Advisor for the Canadian Boreal Initiative, an independent organization working to link science, policy, and action in Canada's boreal region. Prior to joining the boreal initiative, Mary led conservation efforts in the Prime Minister's office under Jean Chrétien. She also served as Executive Director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

It is folks like these--our partners, our board, and especially you, our loyal supporters--that make the Wildlands Project unique among conservation organizations. Thank you again for your continued support.

Margo McKnight
Executive Director