▁Nicholas ▁Lu ard , ▁N ig el ▁Haw kins ▁and ▁Chris ▁Br ash er . ▁The ▁organisation ▁was ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁Scottish - born ▁conservation ist ▁John ▁Mu ir ▁– ▁a ▁key ▁figure ▁in ▁the ▁modern ▁conservation ▁movement , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁USA ▁where ▁he ▁worked ▁to ▁save ▁Y os em ite ▁National ▁Park ▁and ▁other ▁areas ▁of ▁w ilder ness . ▁Building ▁on ▁Mu ir ' s ▁reputation ▁there , ▁the ▁Trust ▁has ▁links ▁with ▁the ▁Sierra ▁Club , ▁which ▁John ▁Mu ir ▁founded ▁in ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁Trust ▁is ▁a ▁membership ▁organisation ▁with ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 1 , 0 0 0 ▁members ▁( Dec ember ▁ 2 0 1 7 ). ▁It ▁works ▁to ▁raise ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁the ▁benefits ▁of ▁wild ▁land ▁and ▁campaign s ▁for ▁better ▁protection ▁of ▁wild ▁land , ▁challeng ing ▁in app ropri ate ▁develop ments ▁when ▁these ▁threaten ▁an ▁area . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Government ▁adopted ▁the ▁Wild ▁Land ▁Are as ▁map ▁into ▁planning ▁policy . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Environment ▁Minister ▁Lord ▁L inds ay ▁launched ▁a ▁new ▁environmental ▁award ▁scheme , ▁the ▁John ▁Mu ir ▁Award , ▁which ▁has ▁grown ▁stead ily ▁over ▁ 2 1 ▁years . ▁ ▁John ▁Mu ir ' s ▁birth place ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁together ▁with ▁East ▁L oth ian ▁Council , ▁Dun bar ' s ▁John ▁Mu ir ▁Association ▁and ▁Dun