Since 1958, the year Montana Wilderness Association was founded, innovation and tenacity have stood as the hallmarks of our organization. These hallmarks have sustained our work for 63 years and
HELENA, Mont. One of the country s oldest grassroots conservation groups is changing its name, and also broadening its mission. The Montana Wilderness Association, founded in 1958, announced on Thursday that it will change its name to Wild Montana. .
BRETT FRENCH
After 63 years of fighting to protect wildlands, the Montana Wilderness Association is changing its name to Wild Montana.
The home-grown organization, fostered by Bozeman couple Florence and Ken Baldwin in 1958 to protect the Madison Range, officially announced the name change to its membership on Thursday.
âThe name represents the breadth of the work we do as an organization,â said Ben Gabriel, executive director of Wild Montana.
âI look forward to building a more inclusive organization,â he added.
The group has 4,415 members, 80% of which live in the state. Wild Montana also counts 13,000 people as active supporters, some of which were recruited through the group s Wilderness Walks programs in the summer and winter and annual photography contests.