This Earth Day, Conservation Is Taking Shape Across the United States

Image courtesy of Matt Griffis

Earth Day serves as a vital reminder of our responsibility to protect the natural world, emphasizing the pressing challenges we face, such as declining biodiversity, climate change, and the loss of open spaces. But it also highlights the important work that organizations and local communities nationwide do to protect our environment. 

Across the United States, the Wyss Foundation is dedicated to supporting initiatives that protect land and water, working in partnership with the communities that depend on these resources. These efforts contribute to a broader goal: conserving thirty percent of the planet in its natural state by 2030.

The Wyss Foundation proudly supports various projects that exemplify the power of collaborative conservation.

In Northern California, Blue Creek runs through forestlands long cherished by the  Yurok Tribe. Decades of unsustainable logging reshaped the landscape and disrupted salmon runs. With our support, alongside Western Rivers Conservancy and the Yurok Tribe, substantial land acquisition has been completed, and restoration efforts in the watershed have advanced. The land has been returned to Tribal ownership, empowering the Yurok Tribe to lead long-term stewardship and management efforts.

Further north, the Pedro Bay project in Alaska focuses on a large tract of land owned by an Alaska Native Corporation within the Bristol Bay watershed, a region where salmon play a crucial role in both the ecosystem and the local economy. The Wyss Foundation provided funding to secure conservation easements, led by The Conservation Fund in partnership with the Bristol Bay Heritage Land Trust and the Pedro Bay Corporation, that permanently limit development. This action preserves the landscape while allowing traditional subsistence uses to continue unimpeded.

In New Mexico's Sabinoso Wilderness, access was the primary challenge in this pristine canyon-rich landscape, which was surrounded by private properties hindering entry. With support from the Wyss Foundation and in partnership with The Wilderness Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land, key parcels have been acquired and transferred into public ownership. That change established public access while expanding its federally protected status.

At Hershey Ranch in California’s southern Sierra Nevada foothills, efforts focus on protecting a vast, intact landscape while supporting long-term conservation stewardship. A grant from the Wyss Foundation supported The Conservation Fund in securing more than 14,000 acres for the Tule River Tribe, preventing subdivision across an expansive area. The property has been returned to the Tule River Tribe, reestablishing a significant connection after generations of separation.

While Earth Day brings attention to environmental concerns annually, the projects driven by these efforts progress every day. Each project follows a unique trajectory—some restore degraded land, while others secure land before it is developed or fragmented. Yet, all share a unified purpose: ensuring that future generations can experience the marvel of open lands and wildlife.

At the Wyss Foundation, we are proud to support efforts in the U.S. and globally that protect at-risk landscapes, combat biodiversity loss, and ensure humanity can continue to enjoy these special places. We are immensely thankful for our partners – from nonprofits to governments to Indigenous groups to local communities – who share that vision and work steadfastly toward a brighter future, not only on Earth Day but every day.