Nonprofit partners thank Wildlands attendees, Outlaw for support
CENTER FOR LARGE LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION AND AMERICAN RIVERS
Accepting a record-breaking $1.3 million check to support conservation while being cheered onstage by thousands of Wildlands concertgoers this summer was an unexpected surprise—and an incredible privilege we will never forget.
“Double it.”
Those two words spoken by Eric Ladd, founder and CEO of Outlaw Partners, will reverberate in our memories. They will also provide a critical springboard for our future efforts to protect the landscapes and rivers of southwest Montana and beyond.
This year’s Wildlands event included a charity dinner and auction, and two nights of music featuring Dave Matthews, Lukas Nelson and Molly Tuttle. The planned events raised $650,000. Dave Matthews doubled it moments before we accepted the check in front of 6,000 attendees.
This money raised by Outlaw Partners and the match from Dave Matthews will support the work of both American Rivers and the Center for Large Landscape Conservation. We’re grateful for the opportunity to share our missions with thousands of Wildlands attendees.
Wildlands is more than just a concert: it’s a commitment to conservation that raises community awareness, inspires action, and celebrates wild lands and waters. We are grateful to have been a part of this event and would like to thank Outlaw Partners for their visionary efforts to unite conservation with world-class music.
We’d also like to thank Dave Matthews, Lukas Nelson, and Molly Tuttle for bringing the magic to life on stage, and legendary actor Michael Keaton for speaking on the charity night panel. Finally, we are thankful for all those who supported both of our organizations by bidding at the charity auction, making donations over the course of the event, or purchasing concert tickets.
American Rivers will use funds from the event to work with local partners to protect nearly 100 river miles in the Madison and Gallatin River watersheds, which provide clean water and essential habitat for native species, as well as thousands of miles of streams on our National Forests. The Center for Large Landscape Conservation will work to establish wildlife crossings on U.S. Highway 191 and U.S. Highway 89, two of the busiest highways in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and work to secure safe passage for species worldwide.
The impact of this amazing weekend isn’t only represented by the funds raised. Wildlands also sparked hope that people care for our natural world, and it demonstrated what we can accomplish when people come together to protect wild and wonderful places. Each member of our teams felt the encouragement in every connection we made with old and new friends. So many of you share collective commitment to conserve and reconnect our treasured landscapes and rivers. We were blown away by the outpouring of support.
We want to thank Outlaw Partners again for the colossal effort and dedication that this event took. We can’t wait to see what you dream up next.
Deb Davidson, Chief Strategy Officer, Center for Large Landscape Conservation
Tom Kiernan, President and CEO, American Rivers
