Join us in 2025 as we celebrate 35 years of protecting and connecting landscapes for wildlife.
From the original dream of helping wild grizzlies to our recent milestone of helping protect and enhance more than 1 million acres of habitat, Vital Ground has come a long way in 35 years. Thanks to a committed community of conservationists we have made significant progress in protecting the private lands that connect wild strongholds in grizzly country and partnering with local community groups to prevent bear-related conflicts.
Our work is based on connections: the ones we’ve built on the landscape, the ones we’ve built with supporters like you and the ones we’ve built with the wildlife we cherish. Read more about our story, our partners and our recent projects.
These connections and your continued support allow us to keep protecting habitat at a pace that matches the ongoing threats to wildlife. With development pressures rising across the West and other conflicts on our shared landscapes, many of the species that make this place so special are at risk of losing crucial habitat and being cut off from movement corridors. We are committed to caring for and stewarding the most vital places for grizzlies and other wildlife for the next 35 years and beyond. To kick it off, we have several special events taking place this year. Our recently-completed July Hike-A-Thon was a rousing success, raising more than $12,000 for grizzly conservation thanks to your support and participation!
Fall anniversary events:
- Book reading webinar with co-founder Lynne Seus – 10/22
- Release of our special 2026 calendar “Vitality” by artist Claire Emery
- Book reading webinar with biologist Diane Boyd – 12/10
Sustain Your Support with a Special Anniversary Gift
Supporters like you have enabled all the great work we have accomplished so far for wildlife. To ensure we can continue protecting crucial habitat and creating landscape linkages for generations to come, we invite you to make a monthly or one-time donation to conservation today. To celebrate our shared love of wildlife and wild places we are offering the following thank you gifts during this special anniversary year:
- For monthly donations of $35 or more, you will be put first on the list to receive a limited-edition copy of Claire Emery‘s 2026 Calendar.
- For monthly donations of $350 or more, you will receive a high-quality print of one of the Vital Ground conservation sites you’ve helped protect.
- For one-time donations of $3,500 or more, you will receive a bottle of our exclusive Big Bear Blend red wine.
- For one-time donations of $35,000 or more, you will be invited to our next Walk on Vital Ground with staff and other supporters.
Contributions of any size help advance conservation for grizzlies and all things wild. Learn about more ways to give and consider setting up a monthly donation to sustainably support the important work to come.
