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Forever-Wild Circle Feature: Brendan Wiltse

The Forever-Wild Circle of monthly donors provide foundational support to Northeast Wilderness Trust. Members of the Circle come from all across the Northeast—and the country—and are passionate about wildlands, nature, and old forests. NEWT thanks this community of wildlands supporters with annual bandannas celebrating wild places.

Brendan in the Adirondacks with his faithful companion Khyber

We’re delighted to introduce you to Forever-Wild Circle member Brendan Wiltse. Brendan lives in New York’s Adirondack Park and is the Senior Research Scientist at the Adirondack Watershed Institute of Paul Smith’s College. His research informs conservation planning for freshwater ecosystems. When not helping to protect water quality, he is exploring the mountains, rivers, and lakes of the Adirondacks accompanied by his camera and faithful friend Nico the black lab.

Brendan has also made an important contribution to Northeast Wilderness Trust’s conservation work by capturing stunning photography of Eagle Mountain Wilderness Preserve and Grasse River Wilderness Preserve.

The view from Van Hoevenburg in the Adirondacks.

“I support Northeast Wilderness Trust because of its focus on expanding wilderness and old-growth forests,” says Brendan. “In an increasingly urbanized and developed world, there is a great need to preserve and expand wild places. The Wilderness Trust is strategic in their land acquisitions, expanding and connecting wild places to ensure the preservation of biodiversity in the northeastern US.”

A photo from Ausable River in the Adirondacks.

To admire more of Brendan’s beautiful photography of wild places, dogs, and water quality research, click here.

Donors like Brendan are making a difference each and every month for wild places and the diverse beings who call them home. As Brendan expressed, “We can all do a little bit to help wild nature; every act counts.” That’s where the Northeast Wilderness Trust community—and the Forever-Wild Circle of monthly donors—comes in.

Thank you for helping rewild the Northeast, Brendan!

If you are not yet a member, we invite you to join the Forever-Wild Circle today. Click here to join and we’ll send you a hot-off-the-press 2023 bandanna. This year’s design is hand-illustrated by Vermont artist and naturalist Patti Smith. Thank you, Patti!

NEWT strives to only produce eco-friendly items; these bandannas are made from hemp and organic cotton and printed with algae-based inks. You can learn more about our commitment to sustainable practices here.

Photos by Brendan Wiltse, Art by Patti Smith