The Wilderness Land Trust

Home
United States
Helena, MT
The Wilderness Land Trust

For 30 years, WLT has been working throughout the country to keep the promise that America's wilderness will remain forever wild.

04/21/2026

In Southeast Alaska, the Tongass National Forest covers almost 17 million acres of coastline and temperate rainforest. It is the nation’s largest national forest, and about 35% of it is designated as wilderness in 19 wilderness areas.

Within it, the Trust recently transferred our 28-acre Chuck River Bend property to public ownership to be added to the Chuck River Wilderness.

The property, accessible by boat only at high tide, sits where the Chuck River flows into Windham Bay. Its open meadows are prime pink salmon fishing grounds for Alaskan brown bear, and also have blueberries, salmon berries, and devil’s club, which are other important food sources for bears.

04/13/2026

We’re Hiring a Director of Major Gifts!

The Wilderness Land Trust seeks a fundraising professional with proven major gifts experience to serve as Director of Major Gifts on a part-time (0.5 FTE) basis. This is a permanent, ongoing position. The Trust is looking for someone with a deep understanding of nonprofit development, a commitment to building meaningful relationships with donors, a multi-year track record of successful fundraising, the courage and confidence to make in-person solicitations for meaningful gifts, and strong alignment with the mission of wilderness conservation.

Visit our website for the full job description.

04/09/2026

This week we’re saying so long to Liz, our Director of Philanthropy, and sending her off on her next adventure as she and her husband Todd retire to spend more time long-distance backpacking. Liz hopes to hike all 11 National Scenic Trails in ten years, starting with a return to the Continental Divide Trail, which she hiked in 2024.

Many of you who have had the opportunity to connect with Liz already know her passion for wild places and her belief in the power of community. Since joining the Trust, Liz has been an invaluable member of our team, putting that passion to work to help advance nearly every aspect of our fundraising work.
Happy trails Liz!

03/23/2026

Join us in welcoming David Hartwell to our Board of Directors!

Residing in Minnesota, David is semi-retired after a long stint in various manufacturing businesses. He also has extensive experience on non-profit, foundation, and governmental boards. He was the founding president of the Minnesota Land Trust and served on the Land Trust Alliance board in numerous capacities for 23 years. In 2000, he launched and then led an effort which resulted 8 years later in a constitutional amendment raising the sales tax in Minnesota that is now providing $450M annually for habitat, clean water, parks and cultural habitat.

03/10/2026

Along California’s Central Coast, the Pacific Ocean meets mountains in one of the nation’s most significant biodiversity hotspots. Here, over 35 endangered species make their homes in the narrow canyons, chaparral, and old-growth forests. The Ventana Wilderness protects over 240,000 acres of this critical habitat. In 2020, a family wishing to see this landscape they love protected for future generations generously donated their 87-acre property to The Wilderness Land Trust. The Trust recently transferred the property, known as Little Sur River, to public ownership to be added to Los Padres National Forest.

02/20/2026

The Wilderness Land Trust recently completed the transfer of 21 acres within Washington’s Mount Baker Wilderness to public ownership, adding it to the designated wilderness area.

Within the Fourth of July Lode property, high in the alpine, sits one of the remaining 13 glaciers in the Mount Baker Wilderness. Glaciers across the North Cascades have been steadily losing volume over the last several decades. As glaciers shrink due to a changing climate, the ecosystems that depend on them become increasingly vulnerable. A study found the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest provides $30 billion worth of ecosystem services that we depend on, like the clean air and clean water which sustain life, and every dollar invested in the Forest returns over $3,000 in ecosystem services.

Removing this threat of development from the Fourth of July Lode property will not only yield returns for future generations through these ecosystem services, but also help bolster the resilience of the surrounding wilderness ecosystems by improving their connectivity.

01/29/2026

Looking for a good book to enjoy by the fire? Check out our winter Wilderness Book Club pick: Tenacious Beasts by !

01/26/2026

At the end of this week we’ll be saying farewell to Brad Borst after 9 years serving as the Trust’s president. If you’ve had the good fortune to interact directly with Brad during his tenure, you’ll know how dedicated, thoughtful, humble, and kind he is. In his time as president, Brad has helped to grow the Trust— adding staff capacity, expanding our work east of the Rockies, and building the funding relationships to make our work possible. He has steadily guided the organization through the uncertainties of the pandemic and shifting administration priorities. Brad has created and nurtured a culture at the Trust that is truly a joy to be a part of, where staff are supported and cared for— he is the rare kind of leader who is wholeheartedly dedicated to serving those around him. We are so grateful for Brad’s dedication and the opportunity to work alongside him. Join us in wishing Brad the best in wherever the trail takes him next!

01/23/2026

The Wilderness Land Trust recently acquired a one-acre inholding within the Mount Shasta Wilderness of northern California. You may be wondering why bother protecting one acre within the almost 37,000-acre wilderness area? But every inholding, no matter their size, is a tear in the fabric of wilderness protection. Once the property is transferred to public ownership and added to the designated wilderness, we’ll have mended the tear, removing the gap in habitat connectivity and making the fabric of wilderness as whole stronger than before

01/09/2026

As many of you know, Brad Borst is stepping down after nine years at the helm of The Wilderness Land Trust. Over the past several months, our board of directors has undertaken a national search for our next leader to carry forward the Trust’s mission.
We are thrilled to announce that Anders Reynolds will be joining the Trust as President on January 15th! Originally from Wynne, Arkansas, Anders attended Rhodes College and Johns Hopkins University. For the majority of his career, he’s engaged federal lawmakers on public land policy, most recently with the Southern Environmental Law Center and Pew Charitable Trusts. In those roles, he’s proud to have played a part in achieving durable wilderness protection for landscapes in Tennessee, Arkansas, Colorado, Nevada, and Southern Utah. His work has included building resilient coalitions of diverse stakeholders, offering policy expertise to federal decision-makers, and amplifying the passion of local advocates who love their big backyards just the way they are.
Learn more: https://wildernesslandtrust.org/introducing-the-trusts-new-president-anders-reynolds/

12/31/2025

On this last day of 2025, we’re celebrating a year full of both accomplishments and challenges. We began the year with a new administration taking office, and a deep sense of uncertainty about what that would mean for public lands and the Trust’s work to protect them. But we remained guided by our belief that wilderness will endure as a legacy worth continuing to invest in. We diligently continued building relationships with landowners interested in seeing their properties conserved, and focused on strengthening our agency and community partnerships. That work paid off as we saw acquisitions and transfers successfully completed. Make your end of year gift today!
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/get-involved/donate-now/

12/12/2025

The Wilderness Land Trust has protected a 20-acre inholding property within the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. The property, known as the Busher Claim, was privately owned with mining claims dating back to 1884. The Trust purchased the property with the goal of transferring it to public ownership to be added to the wilderness area.

The Busher Claim property sits on the slopes above the popular hiking destination of Cumberland Basin, below Pearl Mountain and Castle Peak. Its fragile high alpine ecosystem provides important wildlife habitat as well as pristine viewsheds for recreationists. Because it is located near the Pearl Pass Road, an OHV route from Aspen to Crested Butte, the property was at higher risk of development.

Address

Helena, MT

Website

http://www.wildernesslandtrust.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Wilderness Land Trust posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to The Wilderness Land Trust:

Shortcuts

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Helena?