How did the Project get started?

Outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia relocated their international distribution center to Reno in 1996. "We moved here because this region has an incredible quality of life for our employees," according to Ron Hunter, Patagonia's Reno Environmental Programs Associate. Within a short period of time, many Patagonia employees were participating in the company's internship program, which paid employees to work for an environmental non-profit of their choice for up to two months. "The internship is at the core of what we do as a company," says Hunter. "We want our employees to be active and informed citizens. We've found that internships not only help us retain employees, but also to inspire them. On the non-profit end, they get a full time employee for two months at no cost to them and it is a great way for Patagonia to contribute to the community we live in."

The Patagonia internship program eventually led to an internship for the whole building. About 25 people participated in an internship with Friends of Nevada Wilderness to inventory potential wilderness in Nevada. Using GPS units, cameras, and topo maps, employees mapped portions of Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs). In a state with 48 million acres of BLM-managed land, the undertaking was massive. The job was so big, in fact, that Patagonia Mail Order employee John Wallin felt more needed to be done. So he quit his job and started the Nevada Wilderness Project in May of 1999.

Fruit doesn't fall far from the tree - the Project set up shop at the Service Center with a couple of phone lines and desks donated by the good folks at Patagonia. "We keep our overhead low, concentrate our resources on inventory and organizing, and benefit from a talented pool of interns, volunteers, and in some cases, new employees."