The Wildlands Conservancy

Preserve Management: Stewarding nature preserves that are open to over 1,500,000 visitors annually. The Conservancy has established the largest nonprofit nature preserve system on the West Coast, comprising 25 preserves encompassing nearly 210,000 acres of diverse landscapes. Ecological restoration and species rewilding are an emphasis in the Conservancy's approach to land management. Since the Conservancy believes that access to nature is a birthright, preserves are open to the public free of charge for passive recreation, including camping, hiking, picnicking, birding, field studies, and more. The Conservancy employs a staff of friendly and knowledgeable rangers and stewards, who engage with visitors while stewarding the land and maintaining outdoor education sites. Each year, they work side-by-side with hundreds of volunteers who log thousands of hours restoring and maintaining these unique and important properties.

Providing outdoor, environmental education: Since 1995, the Conservancy has been Southern California's nonprofit leader in providing free outdoor education programs to more than 1.3 million underserved youth. An educational journey begins the moment a child steps outdoors and begins to wonder and think far beyond the textbook. After a quality outdoor learning experience, children return home with a new understanding and indelible memory of their place in the world. Annually, more than 60,000 youth participate in educational opportunities at a Conservancy preserve, from self-guided exploratation through interactive interpetive signage to naturalist-guided field trips and programs. Since the pandemic, new programs focus on providing visiting families and individuals with educational opportunities.