National Wilderness Week
September 9–11, 2024
Photo Credit: Tim Peterson
The 2024 National Wilderness Week brought together our diverse network of local, statewide, and national conservation and environmental justice organizations to honor the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act and formally announce the creation of the National Wilderness Coalition in Washington, DC. In addition to launching the NWC, the Coalition awarded the inaugural Wilderness Champion Awards to Representatives Diana DeGette, Melanie Stansbury, Joe Neguse, and Raúl Grijalva as well as Senators Dick Durbin, Martin Heinrich, and Michael Bennet.
60 Years of the Wilderness Act:
The Past, Present, and Future of Wilderness Advocacy
Wednesday, September 12
A diverse, inclusive, and powerful wilderness movement must build on its successes, acknowledge previous missteps, and look ahead to the future - no easy task! Hosted as part of National Wilderness Week marking the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, this panel explored what the next six decades of wilderness advocacy must look like to ensure a future that’s just, sustainable, and wild.
Meet the Panelists
Skylar Begay (Diné, Mandan & Hidatsa)
Director, Tribal Collaboration in Outreach & Advocacy
Archaeology Southwest
Photo credit: Chris Ferenzi
Megan Hinkle Huynh
Senior Attorney
Southern Environmental Law Center
Mark Maryboy
Former Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Board Member and founder of Utah Diné Bikéyah
Photo credit: Outside Magazine
Roberto Morales
National Outdoors For All Program Campaign Manager
Sierra Club
Inaugural Wilderness Champion Awards
The Wilderness Champion Award is given to Members of Congress who have been and continue to be partners in prioritizing wilderness conservation as a critical tool for addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity, ensuring wildland integrity, and connecting people with nature. The inaugural Wilderness Champion Awards were presented at an evening reception in Washington, DC on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Members of Congress who received the inaugural awards include:
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO-01) was celebrated by NWC for her long-held belief in the importance of wilderness–a belief reflected both in the legislation she has championed for decades, like the Colorado Wilderness Act, and in the time she takes to experience wilderness areas. Her advocacy for protecting BLM wildlands in land use planning and her use of oversight as a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources have been exemplary.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07) was honored by NWC for championing many bills that would designate wilderness, conserve wilderness values, advance tribal co-management, and foster equitable access. In particular, his championship for the Great Bend of the Gila, Bears Ears National Monument, Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument, the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act, and actions in defense of Oak Flat demonstrate his effective work for wilderness conservation.
Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-06) was acknowledged for his work as the lead sponsor of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act and the Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act. The Coalition appreciates his support in his role as Ranking Member of the Federal Lands Subcommittee and his leadership in getting underserved communities outside, including in wilderness, through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the EXPLORE Act, and other legislation.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01) was recognized as an emerging leader in public lands issues. Her long history as a Senate Energy and Natural Resources staffer and state legislator has set her course for being a staunch advocate for wilderness in the House of Representatives. Her sponsorship of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, for example, demonstrates a willingness to take on a leadership role in advocating for wilderness at the Congressional level.
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) was honored for his work designating the Hermosa Creek Wilderness and more recently for championing the CORE Act and for cosponsoring the expansion of the Sarvis Creek Wilderness. His leadership to protect hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in Gunnison County is exemplary and we’re deeply appreciative of his efforts to rename the Mt. Evans Wilderness Area and being a Senate leader for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) was celebrated for his decades-long sponsorship of America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, as well as his work to protect wilderness in the Shawnee National Forest. He was instrumental in designating over 660,000 acres of wilderness in the Emery County Public Land Management Act along with defeating legislation, time and time again, that would have been detrimental to wilderness preservation over the years.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) was recognized by NWC as an exceptional and longstanding public lands champion both as a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and as a longstanding advocate for wilderness protections in the Arctic Refuge and Tongass. We also appreciate his recent introduction of a resolution recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Gila Wilderness and the many ways he is pushing for greater protections for the Gila River and surrounding areas.
Additional National Wilderness Week Events
Congressional Office Meetings
September 10 - 11
Wilderness advocates in conversation with Members of Congress and their staff about the next 60 years of wilderness advocacy.
