American Wildlands records, 1977-2011

Incorporated in Colorado in late 1977 as the American Wilderness Alliance by Sally Ranney, Jerry Mallett, and Clifton Merrit, the organization was founded primarily to focus on the designation of wilderness, focusing on the protection of publicly owned wildlands, wildlife habitat, wetlands, free-flowing rivers, and associated fisheries. Around 1986, the organization relocated its headquarters to Montana. In September 1989, the Alliance was renamed American Wildlands to more accurately reflect the broader scope of its work. The group published a bi-annual magazine, Wild America, well as a newsletter, On the Wildside. American Wildlands was instrumental in passage of the Alaska Lands National Interest Conservation Act; wilderness bills in Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah; and the establishment of millions of other acres as wilderness in the West. The group's scientific and educational endeavors include resource economic studies as well as film and slide lectures on wilderness, wildlife, and wild rivers. American Wildlands worked to restore balance to the management of all renewable forest resources and wildlife passageway protection through such programs as the Timber Management Policy and Sustainable Forests Program as well as the Corridors of Life project. American Wildlands ceased operations circa 2011.