Founded in 1974, Oregon Wild is the state's oldest and largest group dedicated to conserving Oregon's public lands and the wildlife that calls them home. Across five decades it has worked to secure protections for 1.7 million acres of Wilderness areas and nearly 1,800 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers. It is the region's leading voice for the protection and restoration of dwindling ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest region, of Oregon's fragile population of gray wolves, and of the wetlands of the Klamath Basin. Protecting ancient forests is a key part of Oregon Wild's history and future. Starting in the late 1970s, it helped nationalize the ancient forest issue and raised public awareness about the value of old-growth forests. Since then it has advanced protection for millions of acres of old-growth habitat through wilderness legislation, the Northwest Forest Plan, and the "eastside screens." And it has supported campaigns to secure permanent protection of mature and old-growth forests in the Northwest through federal legislation. Oregon Wild continues to devote significant resources to advocate for the protection and restoration of Oregon's last remaining old-growth forests.