Defenders of Wildlife is a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization based in the United States. It works to protect all native animals and plants throughout North America in their natural communities.[1]
Defenders of Wildlife is a national conservation organization that works to conserve wildlife, protect wildlife habitat and safeguard biodiversity. Founded in 1947, Defenders of Wildlife was originally called Defenders of Fur Bearers, and worked to preserve wild animals. Although its work has broadened to include wildlife habitat and biodiversity, protecting wild animals—especially large carnivores—remains a central goal.
Defenders of Wildlife headquarters in Washington, D.C.
From 1948 to 1976, Dorothy Burney Richards served as director of Defenders of Wildlife. She held the position of honorary director from 1976 until her death in 1985.[2]
The organization filed suit against the federal government when it claimed that the Endangered Species Act did not apply to government projects outside the United States. In a 1992 ruling that reshaped standing qualifications in US courts, the US Supreme Court ruled in Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife that the suit lacked standing.[3][4]
Defenders of Wildlife was listed as one of the best wildlife charities in 2006 by the magazine Reader's Digest.[5]
In 2009, Defenders of Wildlife announced a new media campaign named "Eye on Palin". The campaign focused on what the group termed the "extreme anti-conservation policies" of the Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, in particular, her support of the aerial hunting of wolves. In response, Governor Palin put out a statement calling Defenders of Wildlife an "extreme fringe group" defending her "predator control program". She attacked the non-profit group for allegedly "twisting the truth in an effort to raise funds from innocent and hard-pressed Americans".[6]
The current president and CEO is Jamie Rappaport Clark, who has been with Defenders since 2004 and took on her current role in 2011.[citation needed] Clark has been accused of creating a 'culture of fear' at the organization.[8] Clark refused to voluntarily recognize Defenders United, the union of Defenders of Wildlife.[citation needed] The National Labor Relations Board found merit in four unfair labor practice charges in August 2022.[9] The ULPs consisted of termination of a union organizer, withholding information from bargaining unit members, and direct dealing with employees. Defenders executive team decided not to settle the case with an illegally terminated employee.[10] The case will be heard in February 2023 in Washington, DC.[needs update] Defenders currently[as of?] retains the law firms Littler Mendelson and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman for the case.[citation needed]
Areas of workedit
Protecting Imperiled Species – Defenders works to prevent species from going extinct in the face of rising threats. They do this by working to influence local, state and federal policy and laws, especially the Endangered Species Act. Specifically, the organization has identified "key species" that play a broader role in their ecosystems and serve as ambassador wildlife species. Those include: wolves, bees, bats, sea turtles, Sonoran pronghorn, sharks, mussels, black-footed ferrets, desert tortoises, grizzly bears, parrots, wolverines, gopher tortoises, amphibians, whales, migratory shorebirds, jaguar, bison, freshwater fish, sea otters, Florida panthers, manatees, polar bears, California condors, and sage-grouse.
Endangered Species Act – the organization launched the Center for Conservation Innovation in 2017. As part of its leadership on the ESA, the organization launched the Center for Conservation Innovation (CCI) to improve endangered species conservation in the United States that uses data, technology and interdisciplinary approaches to pioneer innovative solutions to conservation problems. It created the largest searchable database of ESA documents, ESAdocs Search, containing nearly 14,000 documents.[11]
Defending Habitat – the organization works to protect important wildlife habitat with particular focus on protecting public lands designated for the primary protection of wildlife conservation – the National Wildlife Refuge System. However, Defenders also works on other federal public lands and waters as well as with private lands owners where imperiled wildlife habitat could be affected. Specifically, the organization has identified "featured landscapes" of special importance for wildlife conservation: southern Alaska, the Arctic, Cascadia, the Sierra Nevada, the Mojave, Sky Islands, the Northern Rockies, the Sagebrush Sea, the Northern Plains, the Southern Rockies, the Southern Appalachians, the Florida Panhandle, the Greater Everglades, Eastern Carolinas and New England.
Promoting Coexistence – a major focus of the organization is their focus on coexistence efforts to mitigate conflict between people, livestock and predators where their paths intersect. They have worked especially with wolves and bears to dispel intolerance, limit negative interactions, reduce depredations of livestock and promote nonlethal tools, strategies and solutions for dealing with wildlife.
Combating Climate Change – Defenders works with wildlife and natural resource managers to address the impacts of climate change and to develop adaptive strategies to incorporate into conservation plans.
Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund is a 501 (c)(4) that works to influence elected federal officials to protect natural heritage and hold leaders accountable. The action fund is affiliated with Defenders of Wildlife and shares the same conservation goals. It conducts accountability campaigns, petition drives and grassroots advocacy. The action fund voluntarily discloses its large political contributions.
^"FindLaw's United States Supreme Court case and opinions". Findlaw.
^. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
^Joel Connelly (Feb 3, 2009). . Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
^"Defenders of Wildlife Partners with Jeff Corwin on New Wildlife Conservation TV Show on ABC". 2 September 2021.
^Bravender, Robin (2022-06-16). "Environmental group staffers say it's a 'nightmare' to go to work". E&E News. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
^"Defenders of Wildlife". National Labor Relations Board. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
^Bowlin, Nick (2022-10-28). "Feds claim Defenders of Wildlife unlawfully fired union-organizing staffer". High Country News. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
^"Defenders of Wildlife Launches Center for Conservation Innovation". Defenders of Wildlife.
External linksedit
Defenders.org
Defenders Action Center
April 09, 2024
defenders, wildlife, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, relies, excessively, references, primary, sources, please, improve, this, article, a. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article relies excessively on references to primary sources Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources Find sources Defenders of Wildlife news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Defenders of Wildlife news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Defenders of Wildlife is a 501 c 3 non profit conservation organization based in the United States It works to protect all native animals and plants throughout North America in their natural communities 1 Defenders of WildlifeFounded1947Focusprotection of all native animals and plantsLocationWashington D C Area servedUnited StatesMethodadvocacy education litigationWebsitedefenders org Contents 1 Background 2 History 3 Areas of work 4 Related organizations 5 References 6 External linksBackground editDefenders of Wildlife is a national conservation organization that works to conserve wildlife protect wildlife habitat and safeguard biodiversity Founded in 1947 Defenders of Wildlife was originally called Defenders of Fur Bearers and worked to preserve wild animals Although its work has broadened to include wildlife habitat and biodiversity protecting wild animals especially large carnivores remains a central goal The organization is headquartered in Washington D C with field offices in Anchorage Sacramento Denver Santa Fe New Mexico Asheville North Carolina and Seattle History edit nbsp Defenders of Wildlife headquarters in Washington D C From 1948 to 1976 Dorothy Burney Richards served as director of Defenders of Wildlife She held the position of honorary director from 1976 until her death in 1985 2 The organization filed suit against the federal government when it claimed that the Endangered Species Act did not apply to government projects outside the United States In a 1992 ruling that reshaped standing qualifications in US courts the US Supreme Court ruled in Lujan v Defenders of Wildlife that the suit lacked standing 3 4 Defenders of Wildlife was listed as one of the best wildlife charities in 2006 by the magazine Reader s Digest 5 In 2009 Defenders of Wildlife announced a new media campaign named Eye on Palin The campaign focused on what the group termed the extreme anti conservation policies of the Alaskan governor Sarah Palin in particular her support of the aerial hunting of wolves In response Governor Palin put out a statement calling Defenders of Wildlife an extreme fringe group defending her predator control program She attacked the non profit group for allegedly twisting the truth in an effort to raise funds from innocent and hard pressed Americans 6 In October 2021 Defenders of Wildlife began partnering with Litton Entertainment to produce Jeff Corwin s North American zoological television series Wildlife Nation with Jeff Corwin as part of ABC s Litton s Weekend Adventure 7 The current president and CEO is Jamie Rappaport Clark who has been with Defenders since 2004 and took on her current role in 2011 citation needed Clark has been accused of creating a culture of fear at the organization 8 Clark refused to voluntarily recognize Defenders United the union of Defenders of Wildlife citation needed The National Labor Relations Board found merit in four unfair labor practice charges in August 2022 9 The ULPs consisted of termination of a union organizer withholding information from bargaining unit members and direct dealing with employees Defenders executive team decided not to settle the case with an illegally terminated employee 10 The case will be heard in February 2023 in Washington DC needs update Defenders currently as of retains the law firms Littler Mendelson and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman for the case citation needed Areas of work editProtecting Imperiled Species Defenders works to prevent species from going extinct in the face of rising threats They do this by working to influence local state and federal policy and laws especially the Endangered Species Act Specifically the organization has identified key species that play a broader role in their ecosystems and serve as ambassador wildlife species Those include wolves bees bats sea turtles Sonoran pronghorn sharks mussels black footed ferrets desert tortoises grizzly bears parrots wolverines gopher tortoises amphibians whales migratory shorebirds jaguar bison freshwater fish sea otters Florida panthers manatees polar bears California condors and sage grouse Endangered Species Act the organization launched the Center for Conservation Innovation in 2017 As part of its leadership on the ESA the organization launched the Center for Conservation Innovation CCI to improve endangered species conservation in the United States that uses data technology and interdisciplinary approaches to pioneer innovative solutions to conservation problems It created the largest searchable database of ESA documents ESAdocs Search containing nearly 14 000 documents 11 Defending Habitat the organization works to protect important wildlife habitat with particular focus on protecting public lands designated for the primary protection of wildlife conservation the National Wildlife Refuge System However Defenders also works on other federal public lands and waters as well as with private lands owners where imperiled wildlife habitat could be affected Specifically the organization has identified featured landscapes of special importance for wildlife conservation southern Alaska the Arctic Cascadia the Sierra Nevada the Mojave Sky Islands the Northern Rockies the Sagebrush Sea the Northern Plains the Southern Rockies the Southern Appalachians the Florida Panhandle the Greater Everglades Eastern Carolinas and New England Promoting Coexistence a major focus of the organization is their focus on coexistence efforts to mitigate conflict between people livestock and predators where their paths intersect They have worked especially with wolves and bears to dispel intolerance limit negative interactions reduce depredations of livestock and promote nonlethal tools strategies and solutions for dealing with wildlife Combating Climate Change Defenders works with wildlife and natural resource managers to address the impacts of climate change and to develop adaptive strategies to incorporate into conservation plans Advocating for International Species the organization works internationally where to combat the illegal wildlife trade and wildlife trafficking Related organizations editDefenders of Wildlife Action Fund is a 501 c 4 that works to influence elected federal officials to protect natural heritage and hold leaders accountable The action fund is affiliated with Defenders of Wildlife and shares the same conservation goals It conducts accountability campaigns petition drives and grassroots advocacy The action fund voluntarily discloses its large political contributions References edit About Us Defenders of Wildlife Dorothy B urney Richards Gale Literature Contemporary Authors Gale 2001 https www supremecourt gov opinions boundvolumes 504bv pdf bare URL PDF FindLaw s United States Supreme Court case and opinions Findlaw Best Wildlife Charities Reader s Digest Archived from the original on 29 October 2013 Retrieved 2 March 2018 Joel Connelly Feb 3 2009 Wildlife group draws bead on Sarah Palin Seattle Post Intelligencer Archived from the original on 2016 10 11 Retrieved May 15 2011 Defenders of Wildlife Partners with Jeff Corwin on New Wildlife Conservation TV Show on ABC 2 September 2021 Bravender Robin 2022 06 16 Environmental group staffers say it s a nightmare to go to work E amp E News Retrieved 2023 06 26 Defenders of Wildlife National Labor Relations Board Retrieved 2023 06 26 Bowlin Nick 2022 10 28 Feds claim Defenders of Wildlife unlawfully fired union organizing staffer High Country News Retrieved 2023 06 26 Defenders of Wildlife Launches Center for Conservation Innovation Defenders of Wildlife External links editDefenders org DefendersActionFund org Defenders Action Center Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Defenders of Wildlife amp oldid 1174148237, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
