Conservation
Conservation
The Sierra Club has a long legacy of protecting America’s public lands and special places, the waters that flow through them, and the wildlife that depends on both.
Our Vision
Natural ecosystems show us how connected we really are
We envision a world where both people and the planet thrive – where natural places are protected and cared for, providing clean air and water, habitat for wildlife, and space for cultural connection, reflection, and recreation.
It’s not just starving polar bears on shrinking icebergs; salmon are struggling with warmer water, wildfire is destroying food for caribou, and sea turtles are losing nesting sites to storms and sea level rise. For more than 125 years, our people-powered advocacy has shown that when individuals come together around shared values and places they love, they can shape a more resilient and enduring future for conservation.
Trees function as the planet’s “lungs”: About 30 percent of carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels are absorbed by forests, an effect known as the terrestrial carbon sink.
The Threat
Polar bears are facing starvation as the Arctic sea ice melts because their diets cannot adapt to living on land.
Our Environment is Under Siege
Today, our lands, waters, and wildlife face unprecedented threats. The intertwined biodiversity and climate crises are reshaping our planet and our communities, driven by rapid development, steep wildlife declines, and the continued extraction and burning of fossil fuels. Every acre of natural land lost weakens ecosystems and removes a critical tool for storing carbon and protecting communities from climate impacts.
Public lands sit at the center of these challenges. Instead of being safeguarded as sources of health, resilience, and shared benefit, they are increasingly treated as sites for drilling, mining, and logging—fueling climate pollution and putting people, wildlife, and ecosystems at greater risk.
30%
75%
of reefs in danger due to human activity
Threats from Loss of Habitat
Grizzly bears are threatened with extinction as their habitat is increasingly destroyed by logging, mining, oil and gas drilling, and land development.
Grizzly bears are a keystone species, which means protecting them enables the whole regional ecosystem of plants and animals to thrive. Habitat protections gained from the Endangered Species Act also help shelter many other species of wildlife which share the bears’ home territory.
Victory!
People-power stopped President Trump and his allies in Congress from selling off millions of acres of our public lands. This was one of our greatest wins in recent memory, sending a clear message that Americans from all walks of life value our public lands.
What We Are Doing
Paria Rimrocks, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
65 percent of land in the continental US is still in largely natural condition, or could be plausibly restored to natural condition. The US ranks as one of the top five countries in the world when it comes to wilderness-quality land. With an ambitious agenda and strong leadership, we can still conserve a substantial portion of these natural areas.
Federal lands offer the largest opportunity for conservation gains. Both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the US Forest Service (USFS) are ripe with potential. We focus our efforts to conserve these lands through:
- National Monument designations
- Bans on oil and gas development
- New Roadless Area protections
Protecting wild places will keep drilling and logging from polluting our environment air, and suck existing climate pollution out of the air. These lands provide natural protection from extreme weather, homes for wildlife, and opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors together. The Sierra Club is committed to our legacy of safeguarding lands, water and wildlife for all as we work to protect 30% of our lands and waters by 2030.
You Can Help Sierra Club Defend Our Land and Water
Your donation will fund our work to stop fossil fuel companies and protect our land, water, and wildlife.
