Photo © Susan C. Morse

Ensuring a future for North America's natural heritage is a cornerstone of the Wildlands Project's mission and resonates with our 2006 campaign theme: Saving what we love for those we love. While our vision for continental-scale conservation will take generations to bring to fruition, we have to take strategic, far-reaching action now. Our approach has always been proactive and is regarded as one of the few mitigating strategies to climate change. Likewise our continental vision, combined with coalition building efforts, ensures that regional conservation programs will have far greater impact beyond any one locale.

Continuing to play a leadership role in the conservation movement requires that we find innovative ways to work with many partners and to draw larger audiences into the conservation arena. To this end, we are calling on all current and new donors for their support.

The Wildlands Project is launching its 2006 campaign to raise $250,000 on October 2. During the eight-week campaign, we will be talking to you and new donors about our goals and listening to your ideas and concerns. We are counting on the success of this campaign to significantly bolster our efforts in the coming year.

Thanks to supporters like Ben Hammett, Bruce Hayse, Louise Lasley, and Jonathan Frieman, we have successfully held two pre-campaign events that helped us meet our fundraising goals for the campaign launch. An anonymous $25,000 gift led efforts at raising funds in Jackson Hole this past July at a house party hosted by Bruce Hayse. Board member Michael Soulé introduced guests to the scientific foundation that supports the huge Wildlands Project vision and the next large steps that must be taken. Executive Director Margo McKnight further explained the initiatives required to translate our conservation plans into action. The Jackson Hole community rose to the occasion and provided matching funds for the lead gift.

The house party in San Rafael hosted by Jonathan Frieman was also successful. A $20,000 lead gift by Ben Hammett enabled us to leverage additional support towards a great campaign kick-off. Both Paul Ehrlich and Michael Soulé spoke with guests about the importance of Wildlands Project vision, bringing a new cache of inspired supporters into the fold.

While we are excited by our early 2006 campaign success, we still have to meet our mid-campaign and final campaign goals. Last year's campaign allowed us to do so much. We completed a Wildlands Network Design in the Greater Northern Appalachians region and expanded our influence in the Spine of the Continent, the 4,000-mile corridor connecting the San Madras in Mexico to the Canadian Yukon Territories.

This year's campaign is aimed at growing our capacity to do much, much more. Never before has implementation on such a large scale been attempted, but it must be accomplished if we are to preserve North America's wild heritage.

Won't you consider a contribution toward helping us reach our campaign goal this year? We want to hear from you and invite you to join our efforts to save what we love for those we love.