WildEarth Guardians
Santa Fe, Northern NM
Protecting and restoring wildlife, wild rivers, wild places, and the climate of the American West through litigation, science, and advocacy.
About
WildEarth Guardians is a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization headquartered in Santa Fe that works to protect and restore wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and the health of the American West. Founded in 1989, originally as Forest Guardians, the organization uses advocacy, litigation, science, and policy work to defend the region's natural heritage.
The organization pursues its mission across several program areas, including protecting and recovering endangered and imperiled species, safeguarding public lands and forests, restoring rivers and water, and addressing climate change by working to curb fossil fuel extraction and reduce emissions. WildEarth Guardians is known for its willingness to use the courts, frequently filing lawsuits to enforce environmental laws and hold government agencies and industry accountable.
WildEarth Guardians works throughout the American West, with a particular focus on issues affecting New Mexico and the broader region. Its campaigns address threats such as habitat destruction, oil and gas development, livestock impacts on public lands, and the decline of native wildlife. The organization advocates for stronger protections and for the recovery of species ranging from wolves to native fish and birds.
The organization's approach combines on-the-ground knowledge with legal and policy expertise, allowing it to challenge harmful practices and push for systemic change. Its work on climate and fossil fuels reflects an effort to address the root causes of environmental harm, while its species and lands work targets immediate threats to biodiversity and ecosystems.
Supported by donations, foundation grants, and members, WildEarth Guardians operates as an independent advocate for the environment of the American West. Through its persistent advocacy and litigation, the organization has played a significant role in shaping conservation outcomes across the region, defending the wildlife and wild places of New Mexico and beyond.
