The Wildlands Conservancy | Fall Newsletter | 2023

If anything can save the world, I’d put my money on beauty.

- Douglas R. Tompkins

Elba Mora, Outdoor Education Director

REFLECTIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”

-

The castles Thoreau was referring to are our visionary dreams.

Over the past two years The Wildlands Conservancy has been boldly building castles in the air by seizing oncein-a-lifetime opportunities to buy legacy properties held by families for generations: » the 30,000-acre Dean Witter Lone Pine Ranch with 18 miles of wild and scenic river, now called Eel River Canyon Preserve; » 14,000 acres on the John Day River in central Oregon with geology that lives up to its name — Enchanted Rocks Preserve; » the largest and most magnificent oak savanna in Carmel Valley — 12,000 acres of a soon-to-benamed preserve that was partly donated by a co-founder of Apple; » 2,200 water-blessed acres on Sonora Pass in the Eastern Sierra that will be added to our Two Rivers Preserve; and » 320 acres of heroic red rock near Bluff, Utah that serve as an important gateway into Bears Ears National Monument.

Now we must build foundations under these magnificent new properties by raising operating funds to: hire dedicated, inspired, and friendly staff; restore resources and repatriate native species; build trails, campgrounds, and our signature native stone visitor facilities; and to operate and open these new preserves for free public visitation. The Wildlands Conservancy now has 25 one-of-a-kind preserves, each worthy designation as a state or national park. Donations to operate our preserves — from cash to stock to real estate to bequests — fare largely based on the gratitude of the 1.6 million annual visitors who have inspirational times and create lifelong memories on their visits.

Over the past decades, TWC has created revenue streams that contribute $4.6 million to our $7.8 million annual operating budget. This leaves us with an annual operating shortfall of about $3.2 million. Raising annual operating funds is the most pressing challenge to land trusts and conservancies. That’s why no nonprofit organization in the West owns and opens land to the public every day at the scale of The Wildlands Conservancy. It is with our faith in tomorrow, our belief in humanity, our love of Beauty, and support from our donors that we embrace the challenge and possess the confidence to grow at a rate 10 times faster than California State Parks over the past 25 years.

Henry David Thoreau

I have seen many nonprofits portray donations for their operating budget primarily as simply paying administrative costs. But your annual operating donations to The Wildlands Conservancy do so much more. These donations help us expand our team of land managers and rangers to protect our preserves each day, which is the only way to protect land forever!

Your operating fund donations likewise allow us to buy new preserves, quickly open them to the public, and expand our children’s programs. In expanding our preserve system, we are forever devoting land to our guiding principles, the tenets upon which we base our mission.

In reading these tenets, we hope you acknowledge your important role, and the role of your donation, in expanding The Wildlands Conservancy’s protection, reverence, and love for the earth and all its wondrous life forms. You are the underpinnings of our castles’ foundations.

Sincerely,

David Myers President and Co-founder

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FIRST TENET

FIFTH TENET

BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THE EARTH IS SACRED, all of our preserves are protected forever and will be bound by legal instruments.

WE ABIDE BY A DO NO HARM POLICY which prohibits us from: a) using our protected lands for mitigation banks for species and habitats destroyed elsewhere, b) selling the carbon sequestered in our trees to carbon markets that offset global polluters, c) treating our lands as a commodity.

SECOND TENET SINCE THIS WONDROUS EARTH IS OUR HOME, all of our preserves are open to the public for free because having to pay to visit Nature is to be dispossessed of a birthright. Free access to our preserves removes the socio-economic barriers that promote a disconnect with nature.

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SINCE CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE OF PROTECTING THE EARTH’S BEAUTY AND BIODIVERSITY The Wildlands Conservancy focuses on outdoor education and is California’s nonprofit leader in providing free youth programs.

WE IMPARADISE THE EARTH by healing human impacts to both the beauty of the land and its rich biodiversity in order to foster inspiration and joyful nature experiences

SIXTH TENET OUR PRESERVES ARE LIMITED TO PASSIVE RECREATION, such as hiking, camping, photography, and self-exploration that fosters the contemplation of Beauty and the timeless attributes of Nature shared by all cultures throughout time.

SEVENTH TENET THE EARTH IS NEVER SAVED; IT IS ALWAYS BEING SAVED. The Wildlands Conservancy steadfastly safeguards its lands from aggression and will time and again defend them from proposed exploitation. Such defense led to the establishment of the largest National Monument in the lower forty eight states — the 1.6 million acre Mojave Trails National Monument.

Cover photo: Bluff Lake Reserve. This page from the top: UC Fellows plant endangered Bakersfield cactus at Wind Wolves Preserve, Relaxing after a Kids Scavenger Hike at Jenner Headlands Preserve, A cohort from Outward Bound Adventures Behold the Beauty at Seawood Cape Preserve, a family from the Coachella Valley's first camping experience at Whitewater Preserve in the Nature's Niños program.

Learn more about how we’re rewilding frogs and fish at Bluff Lake Reserve, or go to wildlandsconservancy.org/preserve/blufflake.

PUTTING THE WILD BACK IN WILD LANDS Landon Peppel, Deputy Director of Conservation and Restoration Programs Dr. Tim Krantz, Conservation Director “Rewilding” — the concept might evoke visions of apex predators roaming untamed landscapes, herds of majestic elk gracefully navigating scenic hills, or beavers returning to a high-elevation meadow by a trout-bearing mountain stream.

While the term “rewilding” is growing in popularity, it’s not a novel concept in our organization. At Wind Wolves Preserve the results of successful rewilding captivate our autumn campground visitors with the haunting bugles of

Our latest success is unfolding at Bluff Lake Reserve where we’ve reintroduced two critically endangered species, revitalizing the hope of a future for these creatures. The Reserve is now home to 220 unarmored three-spine sticklebacks, transported with the help of CDFW and U.S. Forest Service biologists, as well as 74 captive-bred Southern California mountain yellow-legged frogs from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, restoring these frogs and fish to habitats dormant from which they have been absent for seven decades. Together with an upstream watershed restoration program to improve stream flows into the lake and enhance the meadow habitat for endangered

Top Left Photo: Mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa). Left Photo: Staff from the CDFW restoring unarmored three-spine stickleback to Bluff Lake Reserve. Top Right: Unarmored three-spine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Bottom Right Photo: Staff from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance restoring mountain yellow-legged frog to Bluff Lake. Photos by Elba Mora, Outdoor Education Director.

Elba Mo

The Wildlands Conservancy recognizes that rewilding embraces diverse meanings and perceptions. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature: “Rewilding is an ecological restoration approach involving the deliberate process of letting ecosystems return to a wild, self-sustaining state.

This includes reintroducing native species, removing invasives, and reducing human intervention to enhance biodiversity and ecological resilience.” Early indigenous peoples of California practiced sophisticated land management, including seasonal pruning and controlled fires, across diverse habitats to ensure the sustainability of food supply, medicinal plants, and other resources needed for daily life. These human-based stewardship practices promoted biodiversity and are considered in our rewilding efforts.

tule elk. In 1998, we partnered with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to reintroduce two dozen of these nearly extinct megafauna, bringing back California’s exclusive subspecies of elk to its southernmost range. Today, the herd approaches an astonishing 500 individuals. Wildlands co-founder David Myers summarizes our vision for Wind Wolves Preserve in a single sentence: when grizzly bears would chase off a wolf pack on an elk carcass with condors circling overhead. We’re part of the way there.

wildflowers, this project promises to restore Bluff Lake’s natural balance and biodiversity for many generations to come.

THE RESILIENT CALIFORNIA DESERT Jack Thompson, California Desert Regional Director

As many know, California saw profound impacts from Hurricane Hillary and The Wildlands Conservancy’s California Desert Preserves were no exception.

As we rebuild, we are provided with an opportunity to reflect on the incredible resilience the preserves have shown in over two decades of fires, floods and a global pandemic. It is clearer now more than ever that our resilience is a direct reflection of the love we all share for these wonderful places and our dedication to sharing them with those that need them most.

One might think that the depth of love that people feel for the preserves is unknowable. However, to bear witness to the lengths individuals have gone to support them is to bring this question into focus. When the preserves were threatened by terrifying wildfires in 2020, people risked their lives to save them and generosity poured forth to help heal the damage. When the preserves provided the public with safe places to be outside at the height of the pandemic, the responses of gratitude were overwhelming.

One visitor, clearly fallen on hard times and living out of his car, shook my hand and through tears thanked us for remaining open. When he walked away, I saw that he’d passed me a generous donation despite his own circumstances.

During my sixteen-year tenure with Wildlands, I have seen the Desert Preserves alone welcome well over a million and a half visitors, free of charge and serve over 50,000 school children in our free outdoor education programs. To understand what is in the hearts of the volunteers who make these programs possible, consider that for many children coming from nearby disadvantaged communities, their journey to the preserve isn’t just their first visit to a Wildlands preserve, but their very first experience with the natural world. These outcomes have only been made possible through boundless faith that, together, we can and will change the world for the better.

To our supporters who continue to see us through challenging times, we extend our deepest thanks and pledge our unyielding fidelity to the ideal that free access to the beauty of nature is a birthright of all people. Your continued generosity is emblematic of the spirit of optimism that drives us forward and represents the very best of the heart and soul.

Top left: Road and bridge damage caused by flooding kept Whitewater Preserve closed for nine months in 2019. Middle and bottom photos: The Water Fire in August 2020 caused a significant amount of damage to habitat, including the trail and wetlands utilized for youth outdoor education field trips shown in the photo below prior to the fire. Right photo: Whitewater Wild and Scenic River and Cottonwoods in brilliant fall color frame the view of Mt. San Jacinto. Photos by Jack Thompson, California Desert Regional Director/ Staff Photographer.

Learn more about the impact of Hurricane Hilary on wildlandsconservancy.org/regions/californiadesert.

n the California Desert Preserves and how you can help. Scan the QR code or go to

It's time to Behold the Beauty! Use our interactive preserve system map to plan your next adv passive recreation, including camping (where available), hiking, picnicking, birding, and mor

THE FASTEST GROWING NONPROFIT NATURE PRESERVE SYSTEM IN THE WEST Founded in 1995, The Wildlands Conservancy is dedicated to preserving the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and to providing programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature. To this end, we protect land across the West including rivers, mountains, deserts and coastlines. We open these preserves to the public, free of charge for passive recreation, including camping, hiking, picnicking, birding, children's outdoor education, and more — fostering a love and respect for life in all of its magnificent forms.

OREGON

UTAH

JOHN DAY RIVER

FOUR CORNERS

Enchanted Rocks Preserve (2021)

Cottonwood Wash (2023)

CALIFORNIA NORTH COAST Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve (2021) Seawood Cape Preserve Eel River Estuary Preserve (2021) Sounding Seas Dunes Reserve

EEL RIVER CANYON Emerald Waters Reserve Eel River Canyon Preserve Spyrock Reserve

SONOMA COAST Jenner Headlands Preserve Estero Americano Coast Preserve

EASTERN SIERRA NEVADA West Walker River Preserve Two Rivers Reserve Bodie Hills Preserve

CENTRAL COAST RANGES Rana Creek (2023) Wind Wolves Preserve

SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS Bluff Lake Reserve Bearpaw Reserve Oak Glen Preserve Galena Peak Wilderness Reserve

CALIFORNIA DESERT Whitewater Preserve Mission Creek Preserve Pioneertown Mountains Preserve

SOUTH COAST Mariposa Reserve Santa Margarita River Trail Preserve

venture at a Wildlands Conservancy preserve. These preserves are open to the public free of charge for re. Scan or visit wildlandsconservancy.org/preserves/findapreserve

FINANCES Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2022

TOTAL REVENUE

27,731 (in thousands) Grant Income & Contract Revenue (67%) Contributions (3%) Operating Income from Lease, License & Royalty (9%) Gain on Sale of Assets (17%) Investment & Other Income (4%)

OPERATING EXPENSE 8,831 (in thousands)

Preserve Management, Stewardship & Restoration (68%) Conservation Land Acquisition (9%) Outdoor Education (6%) Management & Administration (13%) Fundraising (4%)

Grant Income & Contract Revenue is typically restricted to buying land and funding public access and conservation projects. Grant funds restricted to the purchase of land pass through the organization and are not reflected as an operating expense. The operating expenses associated with buying land (Conservation Land Acquisition) reflect all of the operating activities related to acquisition including due diligence.

Our preserves provide the venues for both our free student outdoor education field trips as well as our free public interpretive programming. The cost to maintain outdoor education venues is reflected in Preserve Management, Stewardship & Restoration.

The Total Revenue chart does not include realized and unrealized gains and losses from investments.

PROGRAM EXPENSE RATIO AND PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS LAND CONSERVATION

In the fiscal year, land conservation activities included the acquisition of more than 40,000 acres across three new preserves: Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve in Siskiyou County, Eel River Canyon Preserve in Mendocino and Trinity Counties, and Enchanted Rocks Preserves in Central Oregon, our first preserve outside of California.

PRESERVE MANAGEMENT, STEWARDSHIP & RESTORATION At the end of the 2021-2022 fiscal year, The Wildlands Conservancy's preserve system included nearly 200,000 acres across 23 preserves and two states.

Every day, our team of managers and rangers not only protect and steward these landscapes, but also work to restore biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, all while welcoming the public for passive recreation and nature appreciation.

Program (83%)

Administration (13%)

Fundraising (4%)

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

The Wildlands Conservancy is California's leader in providing free outdoor education programs to underserved youth through our hands-on, curriculum-based field trips. More than 7,000 students participated in these field trip programs in the fiscal year, a growing number as children returned to the classroom after nearly two years of distance learning due to the global pandemic. Public programming continued to grow during the year, as our team of outdoor educators developed new and exciting programs to connect more people with nature. Tens of thousands of all ages and from all backgrounds participated in an educational opportunity at a Wildlands preserve.

The financial information provided here is derived from our audited financial statements. To review our completed audited financial statements and 990s, scan the QR code or go to wildlandsconservancy.org/aboutus/financials. The Wildlands Conservancy is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation. Tax Identification No. 33-0676450.

2022

ASSETS

Cash and Equivalents Accounts Receivable Contracts Receivable Pledges Receivable Note Receivable Investments Other Assets

$

4,494 2,690 163 1,480 888 549

2021 $

(in thousands)

83 7,278

Other Assets include prepaid expenses and inventory.

81,310 71,093

61,199 56,692

Accounts Payable & Accrued Liabilities include accrued payroll costs and accrued interest.

12,438 $ 184,197

11,852 $ 148,686

$

$

2,164

Total Assets

ASSET, LIABILITY & NET ASSET SUMMARY

6,928

Land Acquisition in Progress Land Held for Resale Land Held for Conservation Protected by Legal Instruments Pending Legal Instrument Protections Buildings, Equipment & In-progress Construction (net of depreciation)

2,711 2,453 489 2,850 1,500 1,463 116

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

Accounts Payable & Accrued Liabilities Contract Liabilities Notes Payable

Total Liabilities Net Assets without Donor Restrictions Net Assets with Donor Restrictions

541 174 715

165,669 1,202 166,871

144,589 3,382 147,971

$ 184,198

$ 148,686

Total Net Assets Total Liabilities and Net Assets

813 15 16,499 17,327

LEADERSHIP Board of Directors DAVID MYERS

FRAZIER HANEY

APRIL SALL

CHRISTOPHER M. CARRILLO

ERIC HELMLE

JOAN TAYLOR

President & Senior Strategist The Wildlands Conservancy

Attorney Jackson Lewis P.C.

DANIEL GELBAUM EMILY GELBAUM

Partnerships & Communications Manager Four Freedoms Fund

Executive Director The Wildlands Conservancy

Businessperson In The Trees, LLC

CARL POPE

Principal Inside Straight Strategies

MATT RITTER

Professor California Polytecnic State University

President California Desert Coalition

Chair Sierra Club California/Nevada Desert Committee

CHARLES THOMAS Executive Director Outward Bound Adventures

THE WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY 39611 Oak Glen Road Building 12 Oak Glen, CA 92399 WildlandsConservancy.org EIN 33-0676450 To preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and to provide programs so that children may know the wonder and joy of nature.

Photo by Jack Thompson, California Desert Regional Director/Staff Photographer

WHITEWATER PRESERVE

GATEWAY TO THE 154,000-ACRE SAND TO SNOW NATIONAL MONUMENT

Scan to learn how The Wildlands Conservancy help to establish this spectacular national monument