Desert Survivors is a non-profit organization of people who love the desert and are committed to preserving its unique beauty and value. Founded in 1981 by a group of U.C. Berkeley Law students, the organization promotes a mission of experiencing, sharing and protecting the desert.  Desert Survivors has about 400 members, who mostly live in California and Nevada.

The activities of the group fall into four broad categories: Campaigning for Desert Conservation, Field Trips, Service Projects and Social Events.

The organization advocates wilderness preservation to private owners and government agencies that manage desert lands. This activity often includes submitting scoping comments on land-use proposals, lobbying elected officials and land managers, educating Desert Survivors members and the general public on conservation topics and taking part in peaceful public demonstrations.

Recognizing that the places we love will not remain wild unless others have the opportunity to experience them, Desert Survivors provides field trips to the desert. The organization sponsors backpacking trips and car camps for people of all levels of skill and fitness. It promotes events teaching desert science and history, and courses in outdoor skills.

The organization promotes hands-on service projects for desert preservation.  Past projects have included, creating barriers to illegal off-road vehicle travel, removing invasive plants, monitoring wilderness areas, restoring historical structures, rubbish removal and doing maintenance at  a desert tortoise preserve.

Social events and parties are held throughout year and feature potluck dinners, slideshows and plenty of desert stories.  Activities such as these put desert lovers in touch with like-minded people.