WILD Foundation’s COVID-19 Response

At the WILD Foundation we work to keep Earth wild because we care about the health of both our planet and people. And that is why we are taking serious measures to respond to COVID-19. Earlier in March we made the difficult decision with our India and global partners to postpone the 11th World Wilderness Congress scheduled for March 19-26 in Jaipur, India. Today, as the virus continues to spread rapidly across the United States, we are implementing the following measures:

• Telecommuting for all staff for the duration of Colorado’s stay at home orders.
• All work travel suspended.
• Self-quarantine for 14 days after personal/household member trips to CDC-listed hotspots.

Many of our staff are used to working remotely, but isolation can be challenging even at the best of times. Our team meets virtually three days a week and as needed to coordinate work and maintain team camaraderie. We are in the process of launching WILD11 outcomes, and planning ahead in this unique time when the world has a chance to gain new perspectives and rethink its relationship to nature. 

No one can predict what is coming, but WILD is determined to adapt to any challenge and continue to deliver high-quality conservation solutions. And right now, this is an all-hands-on-deck moment. Everyone, in conservation and other sectors, must do what they can to protect the commons and reduce the rapid spread of this disease. While the danger posed to most individuals may be small, the danger posed to the community is great. Our healthcare infrastructure, which is already strained, is unlikely to respond well to a drastic and overnight increase in the number of patients. WILD is committed to doing our part to help “flatten the curve.”

Just as we all have responsibility to wild nature, we also all have responsibility in the face of this public health crisis, to the most vulnerable in our community and to the institutions in place to serve them.

Thank you for your support and solidarity in this challenging moment. WILD moves forward apace, adapting to the times to continue to strengthen the conservation movement and to keep Earth wild.