Who We Are

IWLA Mission Statement

To conserve, restore, and promote the sustainable use and enjoyment of our natural resources, including soil, air, woods, waters, and wildlife.

The Minnesota Division Izaak Walton League of America is composed of 16 chapters located throughout the state of Minnesota.   

Our most recent Bylaws.

For nearly 100 years, the Izaak Walton League has fought for clean air and water, healthy fish and wildlife habitat, and conserving special places for future generations. The organization was founded in 1922 in Chicago, Illinois by a group of sportsmen who wished to protect fishing opportunities for future generations. 

They named the league after seminal fishing enthusiast Izaak Walton, the 17th century author of The Compleat Angler, a classic book about the art and spirit of fishing.  It was the first conservation organization with a mass membership. Today, the League plays a unique role in supporting citizens locally and shaping conservation policy nationwide.

The League led efforts for clean water legislation, achieving initial success with the passage of federal water pollution acts in 1948, 1956 and finally the Clean Water Act of 1972. The League continues to advocate for preserving wetlands, protecting wilderness, and promoting soil and water conservation. Its Save Our Streams (SOS) program involves activists in all fifty states in monitoring water quality.

The League has 40,000 members and 300 chapters in 6 regions in 25 states across the country, including 16 in Minnesota. It has a broad agenda acting as defenders of soil, air, woods, water and wildlife. The League publishes a quarterly magazine, Outdoor America, which covers the League's activities as well as the environment. The League is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The League has a grass roots, community based, balanced approach that allows for diverse views handling complex issues respectfully. We focus on helping citizens solve conservation challenges and enjoy outdoor recreation where they live. We work for practical solutions that balance conservation with sustainable use of natural resources.

You can join us in protecting America's outdoors by becoming a member.  You will help to support the important conservation and advocacy work of the League and receive additional member benefits.