Our History

Wild Virginia began as the Shenandoah Ecosystems Defense Group (SEDG) in 1996 to oppose damaging timber sales on Virginia’s National Forests and defend the public’s right to influence decisions about the future of our public lands. Though the name changed to Wild Virginia in 2003, the group has continued to advocate for the preservation and improvement of valuable  ecological systems over extractive practices and for the right of people to use these resources for recreation and enjoyment. After early successes in stopping or limiting environmentally degrading bad projects in the George Washington National Forest, Wild Virginia led efforts to prevent allowances for additional fracking in the amended Forest Plan issued in 2014.

In the past decade, Wild Virginia helped lead the campaign that stopped the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) and the destruction it would have brought to environments and communities across the state. Efforts to protect Virginia’s waters created the Campaign for Virginia’s Water Future and enlisted dozens of allied groups to push for systemic changes in the regulatory systems that govern decisions about pollution control.  

More recently, Wild Virginia expanded its scope, creating and leading Virginia’s first broad-based effort to improve the connectivity of natural habitats through the Virginia Safe Wildlife Corridors Collaborative. 

Through some great successes, Wild Virginia has elevated the issue of old-growth forest protection, clean water for all, and protecting wildlife habitat, all in hopes of combating climate change.

Today, Wild Virginia has grown to include Managing and Development Director (Calandra Waters Lake), Conservation Director (David Sligh), Habitat Connectivity Director (Jessica Roberts), Conservation Support Coordinator (Kylie McLatchy), an active board of directors, and hundreds of committed volunteers and members. We are all working hard together to protect Virginia’s wild places.

Learn more about our current campaigns.

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