SIERRA CLUB

American organization for the conservation of natural resources. Headquarters are in San Francisco. The Sierra Club was founded in 1892 by a group of Californians who wished to sponsor wilderness outings in the mountain regions of the Pacific Coast. The naturalist John Muir was its first president (18921914) and very soon involved the club in political action to further nature conservation. By the late 20th century the Sierra Club had branches in all 50 U.S. states and was working to educate the public on environmental issues and lobbying local, state, and federal bodies for environmental legislation.