Defenders of Wildlife Unveils Seven-Story Message in Washington, D.C. Ahead of America 250

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. As America prepares to celebrate its 250th Anniversary, however, that vision is at risk as wildlife conservation has too often been framed as politically divisive or disconnected from the daily lives of Americans. Defenders rejects that premise and is using it’s Washington, D.C. headquarters as a canvas to boldly remind Americans that “Out in the wild, there is no left or right.”  

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Defenders of Wildlife, 2026

“As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity to remember that some of the things we value most as Americans exist beyond politics,” said Andrew Bowman, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife. “The wildlife and wild places that define this country have inspired generations of Americans and helped shape our national identity. Conserving them is not simply an environmental responsibility—it is part of preserving the American legacy we hope to pass on to future generations.”

The A250 celebration is part of Defenders’ larger public engagement campaign centered around the unifying theme: We Are Closer Than You Think. The campaign is based on a simple but powerful idea — that despite increasing polarization, Americans remain connected by shared experiences with nature, wildlife and the outdoors. Through storytelling, media partnerships, advocacy and community engagement, the campaign seeks to reposition wildlife conservation as a unifying American value rather than a partisan issue.

America’s story has always been shaped by its wild places and the iconic wildlife that call them home — from the ancient forests of the Appalachian Mountains, where black bears roam and bald eagles soar, to the vast grasslands of the Great Plains, where bison still move across the prairie, to the wind- and water-carved canyons of the Southwest, where desert bighorn sheep navigate rugged cliffs, and the crashing coastlines of the Pacific Northwest, where salmon, orca and sea otters sustain entire ecosystems.

“At a time when so much of our public discourse focuses on what divides us, wildlife reminds us of what we still share,” said Bowman. “Whether it is watching a bald eagle soar overhead, fishing a local stream, or exploring a national park with family, these experiences connect people across backgrounds, regions and political beliefs. That common ground is real, and it gives us reason to believe that the future of wildlife conservation can be built on unity rather than division.”

As the nation celebrates A250, Defenders invites Americans to reflect on our shared commitment to the natural world and to take pride in the country's longstanding conservation legacy. The United States established the world's first national parks and enacted the Endangered Species Act, widely regarded as one of the strongest wildlife protection laws ever adopted. More than 50 years after its passage, the law continues to enjoy broad public support across political lines.

These and other landmark conservation achievements demonstrate that protecting wildlife and wild places has long been one of America's most enduring shared values. They reflect a vision of a nation that looks beyond the challenges of the moment, invests in future generations and recognizes that thriving communities and healthy ecosystems go hand in hand.