Image
Ashley National Forest
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Strongly Opposes USDA Proposal to Dismantle Long-Standing Protections for National Forests

The United States Department of Agriculture today announced that the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to fully rescind the national 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule — a bedrock conservation policy that has protected nearly 45 million acres of undeveloped backcountry forests for over two decades.
Image
Bull Trout
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Joins Conservationists In Blasting Federal Proposal to Bulldoze Forestlands

Conservation groups today called a plan by the Trump administration to rescind the U.S. Forest Service’s Roadless Area Conversation Rule an alarming threat to national forests that are overwhelmingly loved by Americans.
Image
big bear lake
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Joins Over 100 Conservation Groups Opposing Wilderness Rollbacks

The public was forced to navigate five separate comment processes across three federal agencies as the Department of the Interior launched a sweeping review of longstanding policies protecting millions of acres of America’s wildest public lands.

Press Releases

Image
Snow Gray Wolf Portrait
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Raises Alarm on So-Called 'Pet and Livestock Protection Act'

Defenders of Wildlife is sounding the alarm over the intentionally misleadingly-named Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025, which aims to prematurely delist gray wolves
Image
NARW
Washington, DC

Intervention Sought to Protect Endangered Right Whales from Deadly Vessel Strikes

Conservation groups have filed a motion to intervene as defendants on behalf of NOAA Fisheries in a case challenging the agency’s 2008 vessel speed rule
Image
gray wolf
Portland, OR

Defenders Responds to Illegal Poaching of Gray Wolf in Oregon

Defenders of Wildlife is deeply concerned by the news regarding the illegal killing of a breeding gray wolf male near Sisters, Oregon. Gray wolves are
Image
Carbon emissions from chimneys
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Denounces Appalling ESA Amendments Act Ahead of 3/25 House Hearing

Defenders of Wildlife denounced the appalling ESA Amendments Act of 2025 ahead of a hearing for the bill in the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries this coming Tuesday, March 25.
Image
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge landscape
Washington, D.C.

Administration and Lawmakers are Pushing to Undermine Key Protections for Public Lands

As polling shows Americans are increasingly alarmed by the relentless attacks on public lands and their caretakers, a new report shows the vast majority of public lands are open to oil and gas development.
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
lsheehan@defenders.org
(202) 772-3244
Communications Director
mdewane@defenders.org
(202) 772-0217
Communications Specialist
jcovey@defenders.org
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268
Communications Specialist
estern@defenders.org
202-772-0243