THANK SENATOR FEINSTEIN FOR INTRODUCING THE CALIFORNIA DESERT PROTECTION ACT!Feinstein introduces bill to protect California’s spectacular desert heritage for future generationsBill would designate important wilderness in the California Desert and protect lands for recreation, wildlife and tourismThe California Wilderness Coalition in collaboration with business and conservation leaders from the California desert region are applauding a new proposal by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that would increase protection for 1.6 million acres of desert landscapes celebrated both for their contributions to America’s national heritage and to the local economy.The proposed legislation, known as the California Desert Conservation and Recreation Act, will designate 394,807 acres of wilderness from the Avawatz Mountains near Death Valley to the largest Sonoran woodland in North America along the Colorado River. The legislation would also create two new national monuments—the Mojave Trails and the Sand to Snow—and expand Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks and the Mojave... Read More

The following post comes from grantee Save our Wild Salmon

What Would You Do To Keep Snake River Salmon Spawning?

An array of holiday contests and giveaways are making their way around the web, but how about taking part in one that has a great cause in mind: saving salmon.

There are not many issues that people can agree on. But for 20 years, a diverse coalition of commercial, sport and recreational fishing groups, outdoor industry businesses, conservation organizations, and clean energy and taxpayer advocates have joined forces to save a icon of the American West - Snake River salmon.

These fish are bad ass. Snake River sockeye have the most epic migration of any salmon on Earth - swimming more than 900 miles inland and climbing nearly 7,000 feet in elevation to spawn in the rugged Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. That's right folks - these fish do it at altitude!

So, what would you do to keep Snake River salmon spawning? Between Dec. 1 and Dec. 21, give us your best answer to that question.

How to enter:
    * Answer the question by leaving a comment on the Save Our Wild Salmon Facebook page or...
    * Tweet your answer with the hashtag #salmondoit on Twitter!

On Dec. 21, we'll randomly choose who will win an Osprey Pack filled with 5 pounds of wild smoked salmon! It doesn't get much better than that!

A Vancouver mining exploration company claims it has found significant gold desposits in the Flathead River Valley, on a ridge just 10 miles from Glacier National Park. The find heightens the concerns of Sierra Club BC and other conservation groups that industrial development will proceed in the unprotected Flathead River Valley--the missing piece of Waterton Glacier International Peace Park. Read the New York Times story. Last week, after Max announced it had found significant gold deposits, two Senators from Montana asked U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to take action to stop the gold exploration and request that Canada work with them to establish permanent protection for the Canadian Flathead.The Flathead, which adjoins the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and World Heritage Site, is under threat from proposals for mountain-top removal coal mining, gold and phosphate mining and coalbed methane drilling. Sierra Club BC, Wildsight... Read More

Bill Protecting Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area Passes Key Senate Committee   (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Murray announced that legislation she introduced that would expand the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and designate both the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers as Wild and Scenic has passed the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Murray’s bill, S. 721, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act, would expand the existing wilderness by over 22,000 acres to include important lower-elevation lands and watersheds.   Senator Patty Murray introduced the bill in the Senate earlier this year along with Senator Maria Cantwell. The bill was introduced simultaneously in the House by Congressman Dave Reichert (WA-08), Congressmen Jay Inslee (WA-01), Brian Baird (WA-03), Adam Smith (WA-05), and Jim McDermott (WA-07).   “Today we have moved one step closer to new protections for the Alpine Lake wilderness area that... Read More

With sea ice breaking and oil drills threatening, polar bears' homes are disappearing fast!  The Obama administration recently proposed new protections for polar bear habitat.  A thoughtful holiday surprise!  But the sentiment proved sour when they approved new oil drilling within the same polar bear habitat.Please encourage your members and customers to tell the administration they can do better.  A home with oil drills is no home at all!... Read More

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) We look forward to working with the new BLM director Robert Abbey to help reverse the damaging decisions made by the Bush administration and establish stronger protections for threatened public lands in Alaska. We encourage Sec. Salazar to help direct the agency toward achieving this goal and return Alaska’s public lands back to public hands. For Bristol Bay, we ask him to direct the Department of Interior (DOI) to create a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that would adopt the strongest possible protections for the lands and waters of Bristol Bay; re-conduct the review of the rivers on BLM lands using a watershed-level approach; and incorporate findings from the Nushagak River Watershed Traditional Use Area Conservation Plan to ensure fisheries and traditional ways of life are not sacrificed to short-sighted development. ACTION: Click here to tell Secretary of the Interior Salazar to direct the BLM to create a... Read More

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climbing and ski manufacturer and Conservation Alliance member Black Diamond Equipment was awarded the Pfeifferhorn - Conservation Leadership award by six leading Utah conservation and environmental organizations. These organizations include: Save Our Canyons, The Nature Conservancy, Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club, Wild Utah Project, Wasatch Mountain Club and the Great Salt Lake Audubon Society. This is a much deserved award, as Black Diamond has been a bold voice for the protection of our wild places. Congratulations, Black Diamond!

Click here for the full story.

Register for the Western Wilderness Conference today! Follow the link to more information about the conference and to register at the early bird rate, available until January 15th. http://calwild.org/giving/fundraiser.htmlWe'll see you on April 8th! The Western Wilderness Conference will be held from April 8-11, 2010 at UC Berkeley campus.  This conference will be a chance for wilderness advocates from all of the western states to come together and combine strategies for wilderness protection over the next decade. ... Read More

The first round of budget battles is over in New York State. The Adirondack Council's advocacy and letters from our members helped secure a victory (in the current context).  Of the $222 million designated for the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) this year, the recent debt reduction plan ($3.2 billion needed to be cut from the budget) removed $10 million from the EPF. Now we go on to 2010-2011 where we'll be asking the Legislature to meet it's target of $300 million in the fund, urging state officials to move forward on purchasing state conservation easements on the former Finch Pruyn paper lands (90,000 acres) and to begin efforts to acquire another 50,000+ acres for the Adirondack Forest Preserve.... Read More

ONDA joined up with a new online philanthropy movement. Find us on www.FortheNext.org... Read More

Wolves have made a comeback to Washington, good news for the Evergreen State. Wolves play an important ecological role, especially in the restoration of the predator-prey relationship and the effect that has on the overall health of ecosystems.After two years of hard work by members of the Washington State Wolf Working Group a draft wolf conservation and management plan is finally open for public comment. Please let the WDFW know that you value wolves and their positive effect on ecosystems and wish to see their recovery to our state's wildlife and habitat. Thank you.See www.conservationnw.org/wolf for more information.... Read More

Fundraising Event Challenges ORWM Participants to Bring Home the Cup as Part of Industry Party Celebration

CONTACT: Taryn Westerkamp, CGPR
781.639.4924, Ext. 115
taryn@cgprpublicrelations.com

TORONTO (December 1, 2009) - It's time to start training, designing jerseys and gathering hidden Gretzkys, as Canada Goose announces its first annual Canada Goose Cup street hockey tournament for The Conservation Alliance at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2010. The new tradition will be a part of the ORWM Industry Party at the Salt Palace on Thursday, January 21, bringing a celebrated pastime of Canada to Salt Lake City for friendly competition and a good cause.

The first ten teams to register with a $300 donation to The Conservation Alliance will compete for a chance to bring home The Canada Goose Cup, engraved with their team members' names (think: Stanley Cup) to display at their offices for 2010 and be passed on to the 2011 winning team.  One hundred percent of the registration fees will be donated to the Conservation Alliance in the winners' names.  Games will be played in a five-on-five format in the same space as the ORWM Industry Party, outside the 300 West lobby area.

"Canada Goose has a long-standing commitment to conservation. We joined The Conservation Alliance because its mission means a great deal to us, and the Canada Goose Cup for The Conservation Alliance will be a fun way to raise funds and awareness for the organization through a little friendly competition during the Industry Party," said Kevin Spreekmeester, vice president of marketing for Canada Goose. "We are looking forward to challenging brands to come out to play and experience how Canadians do hockey..." 
The Canada Goose Cup for The Conservation Alliance will help raise additional funds to be distributed to various wildlife conservation projects that the Conservation Alliance helps fund annually. Since its inception in 1989, the Alliance has contributed more than $7.9 million to grassroots conservation groups.

"We're thrilled that Canada Goose has joined The Conservation Alliance, and that they'll be taking to the rink to further benefit our work," said John Sterling, executive director of The Conservation Alliance. "We have a long history of supporting Canadian conservation projects, and this will be a fun way to celebrate that good work."

Along with the Canada Goose Cup as the grand prize, awards will be given to the team with the best uniforms. For more information or to register a team, please contact Taryn Westerkamp: taryn@cgprpublicrelations.com; 781.639.4924.

About The Conservation Alliance: The Conservation Alliance is an organization of 170 outdoor businesses whose collective contributions support grassroots environmental organizations and their efforts to protect wild places where outdoor enthusiasts recreate. Alliance funds have played a key role in protecting rivers, trails, wildlands and climbing areas throughout North America.

About Canada Goose:  Canada Goose proudly supports the Conservation Alliance, Polar Bears International (http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/) as well as a number of charitable organizations and outdoor ventures that provide even further commitment to Arctic stewardship and the environment. Canada Goose products have long been used by scientists, explorers and outdoor enthusiasts. For over 50 years the company has been committed to producing the best extreme weather outerwear in the world. From the South Pole research facilities and the Canadian High Arctic to the streets of New York City, Stockholm, Milan, Toronto and Tokyo, people wear Canada Goose products because of its reputation for authenticity, best quality, functionality and iconic style. Ask Anyone Who Knows(tm).

A pack of 10 wolves was caught on film traveling in Northeastern Oregon. Once extinct in the region, wolves were re-introduced to Central Idaho and Yellowstone National Park in 1994. A few stragglers have ventured into Oregon since then, but this is the first time a full pack has been confirmed. It's exciting to see wolves back in the Beaver State!

November 24, 2009Opponents of a national park in BC's Flathead River Valley, which adjoins Glacier National Park, have said there is not enough local public support for a park. We knew from talking to people in southeastern BC that support for a park is high, and we set out to demonstrate that with a poll. Conducted by Vancouver's McAllister Opinion Research, the poll shows that British Columbians who live close to the Flathead River Valley support a National Park at a rate of 2:1. It also shows that almost 80 percent of local residents support the creation of wildlife sanctuaries in southern B.C. where hunting and industrial activity would be banned.  The findings of the poll were covered by  B.C.'s biggest newspaper, the Vancouver Sun. Read our press release.  Please sign up to become a Friend of the Flathead.  ... Read More

A Story with Two Ends (Southern BC tour) Award-winning Canadian authors Andrew Nikiforuk and Ian McAllister embark on speaking tour highlighting how Alberta Tar Sands developments are set to collide with BC's remarkable coastline.Join Ian McAllister, Conservation Director of Pacific Wild, and journalist Andrew Nikiforuk as they describe the beauty and complexity of British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest and look at how Canada's dirty oil industry threatens BC and our nation.   Ian and Andrew are outlining the stories surrounding both ends of the proposed Enbridge pipeline, from the Alberta Tar Sands to Kitimat's pristine waters.  This compelling muti-media presentation will provide an in-depth and intimate view along the pipeline and tanker route.   Bios: For the last two decades, Andrew Nikiforuk has written about energy, economics and Western North America for a variety of Canadian publications including The Walrus, Maclean's, Canadian Business, The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Georgia Straight,... Read More

 Dear Bear Friends, Please e-mail, fax or call BC Environment Minister Barry Penner’s office A.S.A.P.!  Time is of the essence as the trophy hunt continues and bears are dying needlessly...it is truly a tragedy in ‘super natural’ B.C.! Please Help the Bears! Minister Penner NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE TROPHY BEAR HUNT on coast as soon as possible…especially in light of his own biologist’s latest survey on the coast the trophy hunt remains open even after they counted approximately half the number of the grizzlies since last year’s survey and counted very few cubs. This is a shameful situation and the grizzly populations cannot sustain a lack of salmon and continued hunting indefinitely!  Please visit www.pacificwild.org for further information on how to contact the BC government on this issue and for recent press on the population decline of bears in B.C.... Read More

The Phillip Burton Wilderness of Point Reyes is the backyard wilderness for the Bay Area. This coastal wilderness, layered with Douglas fir and bishop pine, provides habitat for the once nearly extinct tule elk. We will be visiting Alamere Falls, one of two tide falls on the California Coast. This 9 mile out and back hike hugs the coast and meanders past Bass Lake and to Alamere Falls, which cascade on to the sand and in to the ocean. To join us on December 12th, email hike leader Julia Kernitz atjkernitz@calwild.org or call 510-451-1450. See you n the trail!... Read More

The Pratt and Middle Fork River Valleys are a step closer towards permanent protection. After a Senate committee hearing last week, The Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act (S. 721/ H.R.1769) recently received a hearing in the House Committee on Natural Resources. The legislation would expand the existing Alpine Lakes Wilderness by over 22,000 acres to include important lower-elevation lands and designate two rivers of great importance to the surrounding ecosystem as Wild and Scenic. The proposal is a celebration of nearly two decades of community-driven effort to protect and enhance the ecological and recreation values of the valley. Designating key low elevation forest in the valley as wilderness and the river corridors as wild and scenic would recognize this community driven effort.WWC has played a leadership role over the last two years in a local coalition that has worked with many local... Read More

The Conservation Alliance Breakfast at the January 2010 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market will feature guest speaker James Balog, a renowned photographer and adventurer, and founder of the Extreme Ice Survey. Balog's presentation is a stunning look at the impact abrupt climate change is having on the world's glaciers. The breakfast, which is open to the public, is Friday, January 22, 7:00-8:50 AM at The Marriott in Salt Lake City.

During his presentation, Balog will share stunning images and footage of glaciers melting worldwide. Balog's team has installed 27 time-lapse cameras at 15 sites in Greenland, Iceland, Alaska, and the Rocky Mountains, and has produced dramatic footage of glaciers melting that demonstrates the immediacy of the global warming challenge.

Click here for more information.

Join us for a festive evening of toasting wild places, Thursday, November 12th! We're celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, 25th anniversary of the Arizona Wilderness Act, and our successes as Arizona's only statewide organization focused on protecting and restoring wild lands and waters! This event is FREE and is hosted by our friends at Patagonia by Ducksback, 2013 E. Camelback Rd., in Phoenix. Great raffle and silent auction prizes, including a multi-day guided backpacking adventure, Class III and IV whitewater rafting trip, $200 dinner at a celebrity chef's table, original signed print by National Geographic Adventure & Arizona Highways photographer Elias Butler, and more! Beer donated from Four Peaks Brewing Company and organic wine from Trader Joe's!  We'll also have information on our latest wilderness work and Patagonia's Freedom to Roam campaign to protect wildlife corridors. Please RSVP to azwild@azwild.org with subject "11/12 RSVP". See you there! ... Read More

They came, they saw and they retreated---to prepare a report that will help shape the future of BC's Flathead River Valley. In late September, two scientists from the United Nations World Heritage Committee toured the Flathead and adjacent Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park by air, 4-wheel drive and foot. Their mission? To determine if a proposed coal strip mine and other energy and mining development in BC's Flathead River Valley threaten the adjoining Waterton-Glacier World Heritage Site. Paul Dingwall, from New Zealand, and Kishore Rao, from France, also spent four days listening to presentations from government, industry and environmental groups--including Sierra Club BC and Wildsight--about conflicting plans for Canada's last unsettled low-elevation valley. The World Heritage Committee voted last June to send the mission after Sierra Club BC, Wildsight and nine other U.S. and Canadian conservation groups petitioned the committee to alert it to BC's land use plan for the Flathead. One... Read More

The Conservation Alliance led a delegation of member companies from Montana to Washington DC to meet with Capitol Hill offices to demonstrate support for a proposal to protect nearly 700,000 acres of Wilderness in Montana. Senator Jon Tester introduced the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act in July. The legislation would protect public lands throughout the state, including 500,000 acres in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. Support for the bill is strong within the state. Pictured above with Senator Tester (third from right), Representatives from Patagonia, Mercury Advertising, and Free Heel and Wheel joined Conservation Alliance Executive Director John Sterling on the trip. The Alliance twice funded Montana Wilderness Association for their efforts to organize support for the protections within Montana.

Thursday, October 29, 2009 Senator Murray on Alpine Lakes Legislation By Michael LanthierTaking a step towards permanent protection of the Pratt and Middle Fork River Valleys, Senator Murray (D-WA) submitted testimony at a hearing of the Public Lands and Forests subcommittee urging her colleagues to support the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act (S. 721).Read her press release and testimonial below:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:Murray Press Office(202) 224-2834Thursday, October 29, 2009 Murray Continues Push for Alpine Lakes Wilderness Protection at Senate Hearing(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Murray submitted testimony at a hearing of the Public Lands and Forests subcommittee urging her colleagues to support legislation she introduced that would expand the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and designate both the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers as Wild and Scenic. Murray’s bill, S. 721, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers... Read More

Volcano Country Wild Rivers Campaign Washington's legendary volcanoes - Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams - are the source of wild, free-flowing rivers and streams that rush through deep gorges and basalt canyons on their way to the Columbia River. Major portions of the most unique and wild rivers in Volcano Country have no permanent protection from new hydropower, water storage dams, or other harmful projects. Protecting the wild rivers of southwest Washington's Volcano Country under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act - the strongest protection we can give to rivers - would permanently safeguard this region's unique and treasured natural heritage.Healthy rivers will be more precious than ever in the face of climate change. Free-flowing rivers with intact riparian corridors will be much more resilient to the pressures of a changing climate and will provide important benefits such as flood control and critical refuges for fish and... Read More

Conservation Alliance grantee Wilderness Support Center reports that Rep. John Salazar introduced legislation today that would protect 61,000 acres of Wilderness in the San Juan mountains of Colorado. The legislation would expand the existing Mt. Sneffels and Lizard Head Wilderness Areas, establish the McKenna Peak Wilderness in western San Miguel County, create the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area along the alpine ridge between San Miguel and San Juan Counties, and prohibit oil and gas development in Naturita Canyon near Norwood.

Click here for the full press release from Congressman Salazar.

Many of you remember seeing Bill McKibben speak at The Conservation Alliance Breakfast last January. His talk focused on 350.org, an international movement to convince climate treaty negotiators in Copenhagen in December to push for a treaty that will bring atmospheric CO2 levels down to 350 parts per million. The organization organized an international day of action on October 24. Here is video of McKibben talking about the day, and next steps.

 Tongass National Forest:  Our Tongass National Forest is a unique national treasure that we must safeguard for future generations with smart action now. Our Tongass warrants the same protections we have given other national gems like our Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone.  The future of our Tongass depends on all of us.  With every year we wait, more of the old growth forest and rare ecosystem it supports could be lost to unsustainable and short-sighted clearcut logging and road construction.We are at a critical juncture. Much of the most productive old growth with the largest trees has already been lost, yet nowhere else on earth does so much remain vibrant, healthy and wild. Unfortunately, too much of the most valuable fish and wildlife habitat remains open to clearcut logging. Additionally, pending legislation in Congress would continue controversial patterns of the past.The future is ours to shape. Alaska Wilderness League and the Alaska Coalition are... Read More

Recent press on the budget cuts impact on the Adirondacks/environmental funding. http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2009/10/what-patersons-proposals-mean-for.html ... Read More

Our Tongass National Forest is a unique national treasure that we must safeguard for future generations.  Nowhere else on earth does so much old growth forest remain vibrant, healthy and wild.  Unfortunately, too much of the most valuable fish and wildlife habitat remains open to clearcut logging.   Congress is currently considering legislation that would hand over public lands with high ecological and community values to a private corporation for intensive clearcut logging.  It's the wrong way forward.  Please take action today.... Read More

Conservation Alliance co-founder The North Face has teamed up with 350.org to raise awareness about global warming. Specifically, TNF is supporting 350.org's effort to convince negotiators at the upcoming climate summit in Copenhagen, Denmark to develop a treaty that calls for reducing atmospheric CO2 levels to 350 parts per million. Check out TNF's creative "Pass it On" video. I'm told that nearly every TNF employee worldwide is in the video. Cool stuff!

... Read More

Please write, call, fax to save dedicated funding for land acquisition.http://www.adirondackcouncil.org/EPFaa_1009.pdf ... Read More

*TONGASS: Our Tongass National Forest is a unique national treasure that we must safeguard for future generations with smart action now. Our Tongass warrants the same protections we have given other national gems like our Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone.  The future of our Tongass depends on all of us.  With every year we wait, more of the old growth forest and rare ecosystem it supports could be lost to unsustainable and short-sighted clearcut logging and road construction.  Alaska Wilderness League  and the Alaska Coalition are committed to protecting the Tongass National Forest - a national treasure – to ensure that our Tongass remains a place of wild majesty. Though our Tongass has been carelessly clear-cut in the past and lasting damage has been done to essential habitat, there is much we can do to conserve its last remaining old growth and restore critical fish and wildlife habitat. Alaska Wilderness League is working... Read More

*TONGASS: Our Tongass National Forest is a unique national treasure that we must safeguard for future generations with smart action now. Our Tongass warrants the same protections we have given other national gems like our Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone.  The future of our Tongass depends on all of us.  With every year we wait, more of the old growth forest and rare ecosystem it supports could be lost to unsustainable and short-sighted clearcut logging and road construction.  Alaska Wilderness League  and the Alaska Coalition are committed to protecting the Tongass National Forest - a national treasure – to ensure that our Tongass remains a place of wild majesty. Though our Tongass has been carelessly clear-cut in the past and lasting damage has been done to essential habitat, there is much we can do to conserve its last remaining old growth and restore critical fish and wildlife habitat. Alaska Wilderness League is working... Read More

After years of dedicated effort, Conservation Alliance grantee WaterWatch succeeded in its effort to remove the Savage Rapids Dam from Oregon's Rogue River. Crews completed the removal project -- ahead of schedule -- on October 10 at 11 AM. The Rogue now runs free for 153 miles. Check out the two videos below. The first is a compilation of the final day of the actual removal. The second chronicles the first drift boat run through the new Savage Rapids, where the dam once stood. Congratulations WaterWatch!

The final removal:

The first run:

On September 30, the US Senate unveiled its climate change legislation.  New York's Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who is considered a strong supporter of the bill, was at the event announcing its introduction.  Now we need Senator Gillibrand to use her important position as a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee to ensure that the bill also addresses acid rain and mercury, which have harmed the Adirondack Park for over 30 years.  Please take a few moments to call  Senator Gillibrand's Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-4451.  Let the person who answers the phone know that you want the Senator to improve the climate change bill by adding provisions that reduce the levels of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the ingredients of acid rain, as well as mercury.   ... Read More

September 10, 2009 marked the beginning of the fall bear trophy hunt season.  Pacific Wild continues to urge the provincial government to stop this scientifically indefensible and unethical hunt.  Progress is being made but we need your help. To learn more about this issue visit www.pacificwild.org. British Columbia, Canada is host to the 2010 Winter Olympics.  Contact the government of British Columbia and the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games-let them know that you will consider avoiding the Games as long as trophy bear hunting continues in the Great Bear Rainforest. Please visit our Take Action page to find out more about how you can help.... Read More

Washington State Closing in on New Wild and Scenic River DesignationsIn partnership with the Conservation Alliance, American Rivers is working to protect hundreds of miles of wild rivers through Wild and Scenic River designation in the North Cascades. Here are just some of the rivers we are working on and why they are so deserving of Wild and Scenic protection: The Middle Fork Snoqualmie River is only 45 minutes from Seattle and provides outstanding hiking, fishing, camping, paddling, and mountain biking for thousands of people virtually in their backyard. The Pratt River is truly unique because it is one of the very few low-elevation valleys near Seattle that still retains much of its wild character.  It offers remote hiking experiences with a high degree of solitude, and critical low-elevation winter habitat for wildlife. Illabot Creek, a key tributary to the Skagit River, is one of the most important producers of... Read More

Conservation Alliance grantee California Trout reports that a deal was reached last week to remove four dams on the Klamath River, and restore 300 miles of important salmon habitat. Cal Trout was a party to the negotiations, which would result in the largest dam removal in US history. The Klamath dams are widely blamed for a massive salmon die-off in 2002. If implemented, this agreement will lead to the dam owners -- PacifiCorp -- removing the four structures beginning in 2020.

Click here for the full story from the San Francisco Chronicle.

On behalf of CRAG-VT, I’d like to thank our volunteers for their involvement in the CRAG-VT/Backyard Collective Adopt –a-Crag event at Upper West Bolton cliff! Fifty-six volunteers, including people from five non-profits, spent a beautiful fall day with friends improving the trails at Upper West. This was CRAG-VT’s largest and most successful trail event to date and the amount of work that was accomplished was astounding! The trail repairs and improvements made were long overdue and the new 300-foot stone staircase up the scree field to the center of the cliff is a work of art that would have inspired the Inca!

Thanks to the amazing generosity of our sponsors- not a single person left without at least one prize, a full belly, and a swag bag with amazing gifts: Darn Tough socks, Stanley metal water bottle, Black Diamond headlamp, Petra Cliffs pass and more! We raffled off a list of prizes far to long to recount, but some highlights include: Thule bike racks, Mammut backpacks, and Keen shoes. Thanks to Outgoor Gear Exchange, Black Diamond, Thule, Mammut, Aladdin/Stanley, Petra Cliffs, Keen, Darn Tough, the Access Fund, Clif Bars, Petra Cliffs and everyone else for their support and donations.

Thanks also to Mirabelles for the delicious breakfast, Liv for the muffins, and Outdoor Gear Exchange for the terrific lunch. Without the event coordination efforts of Berne Broudy from ConservationNEXT and the Backyard collective, and Ross Perry of CRAG-VT we would never have pulled this off- thank you, especially!

Once again, I'm reminded that we have a fantastic community here in Vermont and how a few people donating a little time can accomplish a great deal. Thank you for your continued support of Vermont climbing.

Travis
President, CRAG-VT

On Saturday, I co-hosted the East Coast Backyard Collective, on behalf of Conservation Next, with Climbing Resource Advocacy Group Vermont (CRAG-VT), a non-profit that recently got money from Conservation Alliance, Access Fund and others to permanently conserve a popular climbing cliff in Vermont and to protect recreation rights on that land.

Saturday, fifty six volunteers, some climbers, some who had never climbed, some volunteers from other non-profits, carried pick axes, rock bars, shovels, work gloves, food and water into the property, set up a basecamp and got to work. According to Travis Peckham, CRAG-VT's president, "It was CRAG-VT’s largest and most successful trail event to date and the amount of work that was accomplished was astounding! The trail repairs and improvements made were long overdue and the new 300-foot stone staircase up the scree field to the center of the cliff is a work of art that would have inspired the Inca!"

The Backyard Collectives are a part of ConservationNext's online and on-the-ground conservation efforts. As part of the Conservation Alliance, ConservationNext gets outdoor industry employees and enthusiasts out of the office and onto the land that their companies are helping to conserve.

Conservation takes more than just money. Often non-profits working to protect the places we all love to play need on-the-ground get-your-hands-dirty support as much as they need cash. This was my take home lesson on Saturday. The event was a great example of money and manpower coming together for all-around success. CRAG-VT got grants to buy the Upper West Bolton cliff, and then volunteers built a trail, including one section through a rock slide, to make that cliff safely accessible to all (there are amazing views up top, a worthwhile trip even if you think a quick draw is something from an old Western). I personally was inspired by all the people willing to give their time, and clearly saw how important it is to make time in my own busy life not just to help organize, but to move rocks, pound dirt and rake the trails that I love to use. It was a win win situation. I heard over and over how much fun volunteers were having. We asked people to come for three hours and most stayed at least six!

Said Peckham post event, "Once again, I'm reminded that we have a fantastic community here in Vermont and how a few people donating a little time can accomplish a great deal."

Community can exist anywhere. And forming community around conserving outdoor areas that are important to you is easy. There are so many organizations working to protect wild places. Check the Conservation Alliance website for a list of the ones that organization has funded, or keep an eye on local bulletin boards to find out what's going on near you.

So I guess this post is a plea for everyone reading to get involved, either with a ConservationNext Backyard Collective (there will be nine more in 2010 at locations across the country--check conservationnext.com for details in the coming months) or with another volunteer effort in your own community. There is strength in community, and when we band together, we can really get a lot done.

-Berne Broudy

 

Conservation Alliance grantee New Mexico Wilderness Alliance is celebrating the introduction of Senator Jeff Bingaman's Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Act. The legislation would protect more than 400,000 acres of public land in southern New Mexico. We supported this campaign with a $35,000 grant earlier this year.

Click here for more information.

Conservation Alliance grantee Appalachian Voices reports that the EPA has decided to "hold for extended review" 79 applications from coal companies to dump the tops of mountains into nearby river valleys while extracting coal in Appalachia. Under the Bush Administration, these applications would have sailed through, but the decision to closely consider their environmental impacts shows that the Obama EPA intends to base permitting decisions on science. For those of you who haven't been following this issue, Mountaintop Removal Mining is perfectly named; it is a practice in which mining companies remove the tops of mountains to access the coal seams below. They then dump the debris into nearby river valleys, threatening the water supplies of local residents, not to mention destroying the streams.

Click here for the full story from Grist.

Conservation Alliance grantee Western Rivers Conservancy reports key progress in its effort to protect the 8,000-acre Murtha Ranch on Oregon's John Day River. The effort would also secure an 8,000-acre BLM grazing lease, placing more than 16,000 acres into conservation ownership. Western Rivers' goal is to transfer ownership of the ranch to Oregon State Parks. Last month, the state parks commission approved spending $2.2 million to purchase roughly 25 percent of the ranch, putting the project on track to be completed within the next two years. The John Day River is the largest undammed tributary of the Columbia River, and holds the basin's healthiest populations of salmon and steelhead. The Murtha Ranch project supplements another successful project completed earlier this year by another Alliance grantee, Oregon Natural Desert Association, to secure federal Wilderness protection for the 8,000-acre Spring Basin Wilderness, also along the John Day, upstream from Murtha.

"NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2009 as National Wilderness Month. I call upon all Americans to visit and enjoy our wilderness areas, learn more about our wilderness heritage, and explore what can be done to protect and preserve these precious national treasures."

Click here for the full proclamation.

So, get out there and enjoy your Wilderness areas!

The Conservation Alliance's own Krissy Moehl beat all other women and most of the men in the Ultra-Trail Du Mont Blanc, a 100-mile trail race that circumnavigates Mont Blanc while passing through France, Switzerland, and Italy. She placed 11th overall with a time of 24 hours, 56 minutes.

What have you done lately?

Nice work Krissy!

 

ConservationNEXT organized another successful Backyard Collective, this time in El Dorado Canyon State Park near Boulder, CO.

Check out the highlights:

• 100+ volunteers
• Sponsoring companies:  Osprey Packs, Kelty, Sierra Designs, GoLite, La Sportiva, Backpackers Pantry, The Outdoor Industry Association, and The North Face
• Other volunteers joined us from Teko Socks, Burts Bees, Leisure Trends, KEEN, and Clif Bar
• Extraordinary organization by Conservation Alliance grantee, the Colorado Mountain Club.  Special thanks to Anya Byers!!!
• Volunteers removed invasive plant species, installed railroad tie/rebar steps, and built rock steps
• Grantees present included Colorado Mountain Club, Colorado Environmental Coalition, The Wilderness Support Center, and The Access Fund
• The Wilderness Support Center signed over 200 post cards encouraged the Delegation to move forward with legislation to permanently protect portions of the San Juan Mountains.
• Thanks to IMBA for sending an expert group of trail builders out!!
• Also special thanks to Colorado Fourteeners Intitiative for sending their trail guru, Brian Wallace!!
• Jonathan Lantz, President of La Sportiva brought his  band, Seismic Shift for some great apres trail work entertainment
• A special thanks to donations provided by Mountain Khakis, Prana and Whole Foods
• New Belgium Brewery contributed beer and cash to the event.  BIG THANKS!!!
  

 

Check out additional Boulder BYC photos here.

Next BYC destination- Vermont on September 26, 2006. If you are in the area be sure to check it out.

Conservation Alliance grantee WaterWatch led the effort to remove the Savage Rapids Dam on Oregon's Rogue River. Removal began in May, and will conclude in December. The project will clear a major obstacle to fish passage on the Rogue, renowned for its whitewater boating and fishing. WaterWatch has posted on their website some amazing photos of the dam removal as it progreses. Check out this visual show of history in the making!

ConservationNEXT's sixth Backyard Collective event will be held tomorrow in El Dorado Canyon near Boulder, CO. The ConservationNEXT crew has teamed up with Colorado Mountain Club, ConservationNEXT to host a day of trail restoration at the state park, a popular destination for climbing, hiking and mountain biking. Budget cuts have severely cut Colorado's State Park trail crew projects, and El Dorado Canyon's recreation manager, psyched for volunteer help, will provide a range of activities from building steps to pulling weeds, depending on the interest and ability level of volunteers.

As a reminder, the Backyard Collective program is our effort to connect individuals from our member companies directly with the work of our grantees. Employees from the following companies will participate: Osprey; GoLite; The North Face; La Sportiva; Headsweats; Kelty; Sierra Designs; Teko; Backpackers Pantry; Outdoor Industry Association; Leisure Trends; and Burt's Bees. We expect roughly 100 volunteers throughout the day, and will post photos early next week. Thanks to all the participants, and to Brook Shinsky (The North Face) and Deanna Lloyd (The Forest Group) for pulling this one together!

Last August, The Conservation Alliance was fortunate to feature author Bill McKibben as the guest speaker at our Outdoor Retailer trade show breakfast. Bill talked mostly about global warming and his organization 350.org. Last night, McKibben addressed a much larger audience when the was the guest on the Colbert Report. Bill did a great job communicating the importance of bringing atomospheric CO2 levels down to 350 parts per million. Check out his interview with Colbert. And to learn more about 350.org, check out... www.350.org.

In strong comments, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Friday that the Obama Administration will uphold the Clinton-era Roadless Rule. If the rule continues to be tied up in the courts, Vilsack further stated that his team would write a new rule to protect America's roadless forests. The Roadless Rule protected 58 million acres of US Forest Service land from new road construction. Click here for more details.

MAKE SURE TO HONK AND WAVE IF YOU SEE THIS VAN DRIVING IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION!

 

 

Outdoor Outreach (www.outdooroutreach.org) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower at-risk and underprivileged youth to make positive, lasting changes in their lives  through comprehensive outdoor programming.  Through the encouragement of Conservation Next, our entire staff made specific New Year's resolutions that would benefit the environment in the name of our most special place in nature.
My resolution was to convert one of our 15 passenger vans to run on  Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO).  I am proud to report that with the help of Veg Powered Systems, we recently made good on the resolution.  The conversion will not only save us close to $5,000 a year, but also serve as an educational tool to inspire the youth we serve to learn more about their impact in the environment. 
Local restaurants have generously donated the used vegetable oil from their deep-friers to us.  Flour, water and other impurities are then filtered out before the oil can be used for fuel.  According to the U.S. Energy Information Administartion, Americans use 390 million gallons of gasoline each day!  Converting the van to run on WVO saves us approximately 132 gallons a month or 1,500 gallons a year.  Because WVO originates from plants, the environmental impact is greatly reduced when compared to fossil fuels.  Special thanks to Las Patronas, The Coronado Rotary Club and Jimbo's for making grants to fund the purchase and conversion of the vehicle.

 

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar was in Grand Junction, CO this week to dedicate the new Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, a 210,000-acre wildland protected in March. The Conservation Alliance supported protections for the area with grants to Colorado Environmental Coalition and Western Colorado Congress. In his dedication, Salazar referred to the economic benefits of protecting places like the Dominguez Canyon (pictured above). Click here for the full story.

Each year, we receive two formal reports from our grantee organizations describing the progress they've made on their conservation projects with the help of our funding. It is always exciting to sit down and read these reports, and realize just how much great conservation work is going on in the US and Canada. We hope you'll check out this summary of the reports we recently received from the organizations we funded in 2008. Happy reading!

American Whitewater, a Conservation Alliance grantee, was featured prominently in a good article in the New York Times about the benefits of dam removal to whitwater paddlers. Though the premise seems obvious to most of us, it's nice to read in the Times that we are now in "the age of dam removal." The article includes a list of dam removal projects nationwide, including several that The Conservation Alliance has supported with grants to groups like AW. Check it out!

This is a great example of Conservation Alliance member companies working together with our Grantees.  Save our Wild Salmon's Communications Manager  Emily Nuchols appeared as a guest blogger on Cloudveil's Blog site.  Check it out and see a picture of Buster moving on the dance floor!

http://www.themountainculture.com/2009/07/31/giving-lonesome-larry-a-river/.

The Conservation Alliance celebrated our 20th Anniversary in style at the Outdoor Retailer trade show last week in Salt Lake City. Thanks to contributions from 21 member companies, we were able to pull together a fun evening event that featured live music from the Outdoor Industry All-Star Band and Pictures And Sound. Participants included Alliance leaders going back to the founding in 1989, representatives from our grantee organizations, and many, many new faces.

Check out photos from the event here.

Thanks for a real good time!

Conservation Alliance grantee WaterWatch played a key role in securing a $5 million stimulus program grant to remove Gold Ray Dam, a defunct hydropower dam on the main stem of Oregon's Rogue River. With the removal of Savage Rapids Dam this year, Gold Ray Dam remains the last barrier to fish passage and recreation on the lower 153 miles of the river.

Click here for more information.

 

Conservation Alliance grantee Montana Wilderness Association reports that Senator John Tester introduced legislation on Friday that will protect nearly 700,000 acres of public land in Montana. The proposal would protect special wild areas in three parts of the state, and comes as the result of a stakeholder process that included conservation groups and the timber industry.

 Click here for the full story from the Missoulian.

On Friday, July 10 employees from six Portland area Conservation Alliance member companies joined together for a day of trail restoration in Portland's Forest Park.  The work of nearly 50 volunteers from KEEN, REI, Columbia, Lizard Lounge, Horny Toad, Nau created significant results for the Forest Park Conservancy, our host organization.  In addition to these participating companies, this event was supported by Teva, Patagonia and Stanley. 

* 3 damaged trail signs replaced

* 1.15 miles of routine trail maintenance performed (brushing out, regraded and drainages cleaned)

* 2 turnpikes recrowned

* .35 miles of of old trail opened and reconstructed

* Stepping stones placed and anchored for stream crossing

* 150 native trees cleared of invasives

In addition to this hearty trail work, volunteers enjoyed lunch catered by Elephant's Deli and an after party at the Lizard Lounge featuring Micah Wolf and his kids performing live.  Conservation Alliance grantees Save Our Wild Salmon, Oregon Wild, Oregon Natural Desert Association and WaterWatch also joined in the work party and provided information to all volunteers about the work that is happening all over Oregon to protect our special, wild places.

For more photos from the day, click here to view on Picasa.

This was the final event in a series of four Northwest Backyard Collectives.  Our next Backyard Collective is scheduled for August 21 in Boulder, Colorado.

WHO :  The public is invited to attend the FREE Zion National Park Centennial Celebration, an event sponsored by Chevron and featuring a live concert by Utah's own Red Rock Rondo and sneak preview of Ken Burns' new film, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea."

WHAT: Zion National Park Centennial Celebration is sponsored by Chevron and hosted by Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Outdoor Industry Association, Utah's PBS station, KUED-TV. Other sponsors include Rico Mexican Delicatessen, Osprey, Squatters, Patagonia, WRSI, and Ian Shive Photography.

WHEN :  Tuesday, July 21, 7:30 pm - 11:00 pm
WHERE :  Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

At 100 years old, Zion National Park is the crown in the jewel of Utah's extraordinary collection of world class parks.  As the state's most-visited park (more than 2.5 million visitors each year from all corners of the globe), Zion has exhilarated generations of visitors with its majestic canyons, extraordinary vistas, desert springs and roiling rivers, diversity of wildlife, and (most of the time) its solitude.

The highlight of the Zion National Park Centennial Celebration will be a concert by Utah's own Red Rock Rondo. Springdale, Utah, mayor-turned-composer Phillip Bimstein has created a cycle of songs celebrating the history and contemporary life of Zion National Park and its neighboring communities.

Recently, Red Rock Rondo, in conjunction with KUED-TV, produced a video that traces some of the special places and people who inspired this music and significantly define the park.  After the live concert, KUED will share some special scenes from the video in the open air amphitheater.  Additionally, the public will be treated to a sneak peek of film-maker Ken Burns' inspiring new documentary airing on PBS in September, called "The National Parks:  America's Best Idea." 

NPCA and KUED are asking people to share their favorite story and photograph as well as their hopes and dreams for Zion's future at www.kued.org/nationalparks.  Those who participate will be entered in a raffle drawing to win prizes from Osprey, Patagonia, WRSI, and Ian Shive Photography.

Visitors to the Zion National Park Centennial Celebration will enjoy local microbrews from Squatter's Pub and Local First Utah food purveyor Rico Mexican Delicatessen at this special summer event.

photo: Justin Bastien 

Conservation Alliance Program Associate Krissy Moehl placed 2nd among women and 13th overall in the Western States 100 Endurance Race in California last weekend. She's pictured here with her mom just after crossing the finish line with a time of 19 hours, 26 minutes, 2 seconds. For those of you not in the loop, yes, people do run 100-mile races, and people like Krissy do it really fast. Fortunately for us, Krissy brings the same commitment to the Alliance that she does to her running.

 Congratulations Krissy!

Conservation Alliance grantee Central Oregon LandWatch has succeeded in its campaign to secure a protective designation for the 500,000-acre Metolius River Basin in Central Oregon. The new protections halts two proposed destination resort developments, and ensures a permanent ban on such developments in the future. LandWatch won these protections when the Oregon legislature passed a bill declaring the Metolius Basin an "Area of Critical Statewide Concern." The Metolius is legendary for its fly fishing, and for its headwaters, which literally spring from the ground at the base of Black Butte.

Click here for the full story from The Oregonian.

A group of Conservation Alliance board and staff members visited the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge last week, exploring a spectacular Wilderness that is threatened by proposed oil and gas development. The group -- including board members Adam Forest, Sally McCoy, and Steve Barker, and staffer John Sterling -- floated the Canning River from the Brooks Range north to the Arctic coastal plain. The trip was organized by Zumiez founder Tom Campion, a champion of Arctic protection. The group encountered grizzlies, wolves, musk oxen, thousands of caribou, and a range of birds.

Click here to check out photos and video from the trip.

Hi Everyone, 

I have been nominated for The North Face's Eco-Champion Award and have the opportunity to give $15,000 to a non-profit of my choice. As a founding member of ConservationNEXT I hope to award this amazing group with this money but I need your help. Please follow the link below and vote! You can vote every 24 hours and each vote increases our chances of winning. Please spread the word!! 

http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/Blogs/BlogView.aspx?bid=37916

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Deanna Kavanaugh-Jones

 

Conservation Alliance grantee Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) announced final success yesterday in its campaign to expand the boundaries of Nahanni National Park Reserve in Canada's Northwest Territories. Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced that the park's boundaries would be expanded by 7 million acres, the size of Vancouver Island. The Conservation Alliance twice funded the Nahanni campaign, and are pleased to celebrate this success with CPAWS.

Click here for the full story from CPAWS.

The Governor of California is proposing to eliminate the general fund support of State Parks. This will have a devastating effect on California State Parks. It is anticipated that well over 200 parks will close after this summer if their proposal is put into effect - 80% of our great State Park systems. The closure will affect major parks including both parks and state beaches: Anza Borrego Desert State Park, Cuyamaca Rancho SP, Castle Crags SP, Humboldt Redwood SP are just a few. The economic, environmental and recreational impacts will be profound and long-lasting.

Please visit http://ga3.org/campaign/budget_may09 to take action today.

 

When the sun shines in Seattle it is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Last Friday ConservationNEXT pulled together the third in a series of four Northwest Backyard Collectives on a beautiful, sunny Seattle day.  Nearly 100 volunteers met in West Seattle's Lincoln Park for a full day of park restoration.  The crews from Cascade Land Conservancy and Seattle Green Project organized us into two hard working groups. 

Seattle Green Project had this to say about our group:

Conservation Alliance volunteers worked together to move 15 yards of mulch to help more than 250 far reaching newly planted native trees and shrubs retain more water to survive the summer.  The group also made a huge dent in Lincoln Park's South Beach restoration project.  They removed ivy and blackberry (roots and all) to restore a high value Madrone and conifer forest.  It was a tough site with lots of ivy mass but the volunteers were persistent, enthusiastic, and most of all they did high quality work.  In all, the group cleared about 5000 sq.ft. (just over 1/10th of an acre).

We couldn't have hauled the mulch that great distance or attacked so much ivy with out Conservation Alliance!  Thank you.

We had a great showing of volunteers from a variety of Seattle based Conservation Alliance member companies.  Those companies represented included Filson, Brooks, Stanley, Nikwax, Outdoor Research, Cascade Designs, Patagonia, REI, Teva and Clif Bar.  All of the hard work was rewarded mid-day with a lunch sponsored by each of the participating companies, music by Micah Wolf and the opportunity to interact with local Conservation Alliance grantees.  Folks from Cascade Land Conservancy, Alaska Wilderness League, American Whitewater, American Rivers and Washington Wilderness Coalition provided action alerts and updates to this hearty group and shared information about additional projects that are happening all over the state of Washington.

The next Backyard Collective is schedule for July 10 in Portland, Oregon's Forest Park.  Stay tuned for details!  Additionally to see more photos from the Seattle Backyard Collective on Flickr - click here and to see a bit of our media coverage you can link to the West Seattle Blog and KOMO 4 News.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack -- who has jurisdiction over the management of National Forests -- announced an interim rule today aimed at protecting inventoried roadless areas until the Obama Administration can develop a long-term policy for these wild forests. The rule, which expires in one year, requires that Vilsack sign off on any road construction or logging projects in roadless areas. The new rule prevents individual forest supervisors from approving projects that are inconsistent with Obama's commitment to protecting our remaining roadless forests. The rule also applies to the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, our largest National Forest which had been excluded from the Roadless Rule under the Bush Administration. Click here to read the full order.

Recent Conservation Alliance grantee CRAG-Vermont has succeeded in its effort to purchase and protect Upper West Bolton Cliff (aka "Resin Ridge"), a popular crag near Burlington, Vermont. The Conservation Alliance was a leading supporter of the campaign to purchase this 18-acre property. Over the years, the Alliance has supported several key climbing area acquisitions. Previous efforts have protected lands around Laurel Knob (NC), Castleton Tower (UT), Peshastin Pinnacles (WA), Indian Creek (UT), the Gunks (NY), and Mecca (NV).

Conservation Alliance board members Gareth Martins (Osprey Packs) and Conrad Anker (The North Face) joined Executive Director John Sterling on a whirlwind visit to Washington, DC to talk to Congressional offices about the economic benefits of protecting wild lands and rivers. The trio (pictured here with Colorado Rep. John Salazar) met with 20 offices in two days, and encouraged these elected officials to support efforts to protect public lands throughout the US. The group also thanked offices for supporting the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, which President Obama signed into law on March 30. The bill protects three million acres of land and 1000 miles of rivers.

Check out Gareth's blog post about the trip here.

A Hearty Group of Volunteers Make it Happen in Boring

Friday May 15, 2009 representatives from KEEN Footwear, Lizard Lounge, REI, Moon Photography, Save our Wild Salmon, Trout Unlimited, Clackamas River Basin Council, WaterWatch and Friends of Boring Trails joined forces to be the first hands on the ground in a new four-acre park in Boring, Oregon. 

The group started the day removing English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberry; tough jobs cutting through the ivy vines that were choking the existing trees and enduring the thorns of the blackberry.  Through perseverance we saved over 50 trees and cleared enough land to reestablish the area with a variety of native species.  We planted over 200 plants including big leaf maple, alder, vine maple, flowering red currant, oregon grape, cascara, western red cedar, sword ferns and service berry.

Another great Backyard Collective and hats off to this hearty group of workers!!!

Next up - Seattle Backyard Collective, May 29 at Lincoln Park.

 

On Friday, May 8, 70 volunteers from the Bend area joined The Conservation Alliance for a day of field work in the sunny Badlands.  This enthusiastic group was a collection of individuals that work for local Conservation Alliance member companies Ruff Wear, Footzone, Pandora's Backpack, Moon Photo and Quick Feat International, as well as representatives from Oregon based non-profits organizations that have received funding from the Alliance.  Oregon Natural Desert Association, Oregon Wild, Trust for Public Land, Save our Wild Salmon, Deschutes Land Trust, Central Oregon Landwatch and WaterWatch of Oregon each set up a table to share information with the attendees about projects and initiatives that are happening around the state of Oregon.

The day started at noon with lunch served by Tate and Tate Catering and time for participants to learn about local projects.  The beautiful desert setting was augmented by live music provided by Micah Wolf.  Having his chill sound provided backyard bar-b-que feel to the afternoon; we hope to continue this partnership at future events!

At 1pm Friends of the Badlands leader David Eddleston explained the various work opportunities and split the volunteers into smaller groups who then headed out into the Badlands to post new trail signs, clean up trailheads and camouflage old roads for 4 hours in the warm afternoon sun.  Sunburns, great conversations and good work filled the afternoon and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  Once the work was done the group reconvened at the Oregon Natural Desert Association offices in downtown Bend to share in a keg of Badlands Bitter Ale provided by Silvermoon Brewery and listen more of Micah Wolf's music.

Check out the tallies from the day!

• 62 volunteers participated for 4 hours, 248 volunteer hours
• Aprox. 324 total miles walked by volunteers
• One volunteer on horseback, with Pack saddle horse, dropping off old jumper fence posts for installation, (prior to the event), 12 hours
• 60 lbs of trash collected! - about 45 lbs of garbage from the Old Borrow Pit at the south end of Larry Chitwood Trail, and about 15 lbs from Reynolds Pond Trailhead
• One sign repaired, with a new juniper fence post.
• Two brand new signs installed, one at Badlands Rock Trailhead, one at the south end of the Larry Chitwood Trail
• One brand new marquee reader board and large map installed at Larry Chitwood Trailhead
• 3 obsolete side trails closed with juniper material
• Two obsolete carsonite posts pulled
• One keg of Badlands Bitter Ale consumed (at the after party of course!)

This Friday, May 15, we will host another Backyard Collective in Boring, Oregon, just 40 minutes outside of Portland.  Participating member companies include KEEN, REI, Patagonia, Horny Toad and Moon Photography.  Participating non-profits include Save our Wild Salmon, Oregon Wild, Clackamas River Basin Council, Oregon Natural Desert Association, WaterWatch, Trout Unlimited, Friends of Boring Trails and Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center.

 

Be an Eco Champion Sponsored by Visit The North Face®

One of The Conservation Alliance's founding member companies, The North Face, is running a campaign on Brickfish Social Media website to identify an Eco-Champion.  The campaign is called "Be an Eco-Champion" and the winning organization will received $15,000.  This is an opportunity to vote for an organization that is doing their part to improve the environment.

The above link will take you directly to The Conservation Alliance page where you can easily cast your vote and help us move up in the polls!  You can vote daily, so please bookmark the page and cast your vote each day.  As always, thank you for your support of The Conservation Alliance!

 

Conservation Alliance board member Conrad Anker co-stars in a new episode of NOW on PBS with David Brancaccio. The episode explores the melting of glacier ice caused by global warming. Conrad helps guide viewers with his first-hand experience with glaciers over decades of mountaineering. Check out the five-minute preview below. Or click here to view the full hour-long episode. Nice work Conrad!

 

Here is an opportunity that businesses do not want to miss out on.  May 4-8, NEXT WEEK, The Conservation Alliance is hosting the Ads for the Earth Auction.  This is an opportunity to purchase ad space while simultaneously making a donation to The Conservation Alliance.  Ten publications have generously donated a full-page, four-color ad and 100% of the proceeds go directly to The Conservation Alliance's grant fund. 

Starting Monday morning, May 4, we will auction off those ads in an online auction at http://auctions.readysetauction.com/conservationalliance/home. All proceeds will go directly into our grant fund to support conservation projects throughout North America. You can log on and register now so that you are ready to start bidding first thing.  Bids start at 30 percent of full net value and winning bidders may use the ad space in any issue of the publication through May, 2010.

The Conservation Alliance is grateful to Alpinist, Backcountry, Backpacker, Men's Journal, National Geographic Adventure, Outside, Paddler, Telemark Skier, Sierra, and Wend for donating space to the auction and helping us increase our funding capacity.  Click here for additional details.

I remember how shocked I was at the amount of air pollution there was when I first visited Kathmandu, Nepal, and I never quite got over having to wear a mask.  Check out this article below that lists the best and worst cities for air pollution...

From: msnbc.com
Published April 29, 2009 02:53 PM 

Sixty percent of Americans live in areas with unhealthy air pollution levels, despite a growing green movement and more stringent laws aimed at improving air quality, the American Lung Association said in a report released Wednesday that also listed the healthiest and unhealthiest cities across the U.S. in terms of air quality.

Click HERE to read full article 

 

  As Nexters, I assume that with Earth Day only a few days away you already have grand plans of how you are going to make a difference in your community - I will be with my co-workers helping Save The Bay restore some wetlands near my office.  But for those of you who may be (or may know) less-than-earth-conscious people (like my sister, who I will not name, but you know who you are) here are some simple & low cost ways you can help out the planet provided by the editors of The New York Times.

 

When Sheryl Crow said that people should use only one sheet of toilet paper, she was lampooned by everyone from Rush Limbaugh to Jon Stewart.

More recently, the issue of toilet paper has become less of a joke (except when celebrities express an opinion) and more of a cause: since the fluffy kind cannot be made from recycled paper, conservationists argue, consumers can do their part to protect the environment by buying the rougher stuff. There are skeptics who say the benefits of such a switch are overstated.  

But looking beyond the choice of toilet paper, what are the simplest - or the biggest bang for the lowest cost - changes that Americans can adopt that would make an environmental difference?

CLICK HERE to learn more earth saving habits!

 

WaterWatch announces that removal of the Savage Rapids Dam on Oregon's Rogue River will commence next week. The 39-foot irrigation diversion dam is considered the greatest fish killer on the Rogue, a river renowned for its fishing and whitewater rafting. The dam removal process takes time, but Savage Rapids should be completely removed by the end of 2009. Once this effort is complete, the lower 153 miles of the Rogue will be dam-free.

Click here to view the complete announcement from WaterWatch.

It's been so long since we had a President who was proud of conservation efforts, I've forgotten what it feels like. Here's a look at what Obama said before signing the big lands package yesterday.

President Obama signed the Ominibus Public Land Management Act into law today shortly after 3 PM Eastern. The bill protects three million acres of land, and 1000 miles of rivers throughout the US. Prior to signing, Obama said:

"It is fitting that we meet on a day like this. Winter's hardships are slowly giving way to spring, and our thoughts naturally tend to turn to the outdoors. We emerge from the shelter offered by home and work, and we look around and we're reminded that the most valuable things in this life are those things that we already possess. As Americans, we possess few blessings greater than the vast and varied landscapes that stretch the breadth of our continent...

This legislation guarantees that we will not take our forests, rivers, oceans, national parks, monuments, and wilderness areas for granted; but rather we will set them aside and guard their sanctity for everyone to share. That's something all Americans can support."

Click here to read a full transcript of the President's comments prior to signing the bill.

(This photo was taken by a friend who was at the signing ceremony).

The House of Representatives voted today to pass the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. The final vote in the House was 285-140. The bill passed the Senate 77-21 last week. The lands package now goes to President Obama for his signature, possibly as early as next Monday. The President is expected to sign the bill.

The legislation protects two million acres of Wilderness and 1,000 miles of rivers, and prohibits new oil and gas development on 1.2 million acres in Wyoming. It also legislatively affirms the 26-million-acre National Landscape Conservation System.

"This is a major conservation victory that preserves wild places throughout the US forever," said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance.

Every conservation provision included in the legislation started at the local level where grassroots organizations led the charge to build public support to protect a special landscape or waterway. The Conservation Alliance supported the local organizations that led the efforts behind 12 of the 16 Wilderness provisions included in the package. The Alliance also funded the groups leading the efforts behind protecting the Snake River Headwaters, and closing the Wyoming Range to new oil and gas development.

In total, The Conservation Alliance contributed more than $700,000 to ten different organizations whose good work eventually wound up in the package. Some of the grantees had more than one provision in the package. The Alliance also worked in close partnership with Outdoor Industry Association to demonstrate that the outdoor industry stood uniformly behind the provisions in this package.

"This is a big victory, and we did everything within the limits of our lean staff capacity and financial resources to ensure it crossed the finish line," said Sterling.

Click here to view a summary of the conservation provisions in the bill.

Click here for a full news report from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Last week, the US Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass the Ominbus Public Land Management Act, which will protect two million acres of Wilderness and 1000 miles of rivers throughout the US. Before the vote, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden spoke on the Senate floor in support of the bill. His comments reflect our view that conservation is good for the economy. Check it out.

At long last, the US House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the Omnibus Public Land Management Act today. Here's a great summary of the bill from Politico.

The Conservation Alliance approved grants totaling $400,000 to 15 organizations working to protect wild places throughout North America. The donations marked the Alliance's first funding disbursal for 2009, and bring total giving to more than $7.4 million since the organization's founding in 1989.

Click here to view a complete summary of the grants.

"Our membership has taken a strong stand that, despite the challenging economy, now is the time to invest in conservation," said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. "Each of these grants is likely to bear fruit in the near future, to the benefit of the outdoor industry and our customers."

This round of grant recipients reflects the geographic distribution of Conservation Alliance members. Conservation Alliance funds will support efforts to: secure new wilderness designations in Washington, New Mexico, and Arizona; protect wild rivers in Oregon, Washington, California, and Montana; purchase a climbing area in Vermont; halt oil and gas leases on public land in Wyoming; and expand a national park in British Columbia.

"Each of these grants is an investment in the future of the industry," said Sterling. "Outdoor product users need wild places, and through The Conservation Alliance, our industry is doing its part to save those places."

The US Senate today passed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act by a stunning 77-20 majority. The bill will protect 2 million acres of Wilderness and 1000 miles of rivers, and prohibit new oil and gas leases on the 1.2-million-acre Wyoming Range. The bill goes back to the House, where it will require only a simple majority to pass.

 Click here for the full story.

The endless amount of junk mail I receive frustrates me on a daily basis.  Just seeing the deceptive ways our information is sold and how we are lured to open envelop after envelope of pure nonsense.... It is not only a waste of time, but a major waste in paper.  Check out this article by Ciara O'Rourke that questions the use of paper in this way, as well as the effectiveness of direct mail campaigns:

According to a study by the Department of Energy, the paper industry is the fourth biggest producer of carbon dioxide among manufacturers. And few organizations move paper like the United States Post Office - which delivers more than 212 billion pieces of mail every year, or about 8,000 letters per second.

Click HERE to read the full article

On March 14, 1989, The Conservation Alliance was officially incorporated as an organization in the State of Washington. 20 years. $7.5 million in grants to conservation organizations. 40 million acres of land protected. 27 dams stopped or removed.

Happy Birthday Conservation Alliance!

As an avid skydiver, this didn't necessarily come as news to me - however it did hit home and make me realize how much my hobby effects my carbon footprint.... I do make efforts to carpool to the drop zone, but it is an inescapable fact that some hobbies are better for our environment than others....  check out this article from Treehugger that outlines the 7 worst sports for the environment...

 

 Not all sports were created equal--at least, not in the eyes of the environment. Some--hiking, running, swimming--represent the best of man in harmony with nature. Others--monster truck rally races, say--are just flat out environmentally offensive, and seem to be little more than a raised middle finger to our global warming-imperiled earth. To consider environmental impact, we need to examine these sports on several different levels: Basketball for example, when played as a neighborhood pickup game, can be nearly as harmless as taking a stroll. But factor in worldwide popularity, hundreds of jet flights every year, and you've got yourself one mega carbon footprint. The following seven spoil sports cause serious damage to the environment:

Click HERE to read more....

The US House of Representatives voted today on the Ominibus Public Land Management Act (S.22), which would protect two million acres of Wilderness, 1000 miles of rivers, and prohibit new oil and gas leases on 1.2 million acres of the Wyoming Range. The bill passed the Senate in January by a wide 73-21 majority. House leadership brought the bill to the floor under "suspension", which meant it needed a 2/3 majority to pass. A suspension bill cannot be amended, hence the 2/3 requirement. The final vote was 282 in favor and 144 opposed, two votes shy of the necessary margin. So, while support for the bill remains strong, it was not strong enough to push it over the top today. Fortunately there are other options that will require only a simple majority, but they will take some time to develop. We'll keep you all posted on this important conservation legislation.

Here's the full story from the Associated Press.

Mark Menlove, head of Winter Wildlands Alliance -- a Conservation Alliance grantee -- makes a great case for limiting snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park. And a great case for escaping the recession blues by exploring our public lands. Mark's an amazing writer. Enjoy!

Check it out here.

As a follow up to our 350.org Action at The Conservation Alliance Winter 2009 Outdoor Retailer Breakfast, I had the opportunity to write a short blog on the 350 website.  Check it out at 350.org.

Thank you to all who attended the Alliance Breakfast and helped up create a powerful image for 350.org. 

Check out this post from SNEWS - do you know an Eco Champion who should be nominated?

The North Face®, the world's premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, and Polartec®, the creators of the highest performance textiles available, announce the launch of their ‘Eco Champion' program. The campaign, designed to recognize passionate people improving the environment, will honor an ‘Eco-Champion' with a $15,000 donation made in their name to a chosen green cause and a $1,000 gift certificate to The North Face® online store.

"The Eco Champion campaign is a celebration of those individuals who dedicate their lives to making a difference in our world," states Nate Simmons, Director of Marketing for Polartec. "Both Polartec and The North Face are committed to reducing their environmental impact through programs like the recycled Polartec fleece in The North Face Denali jacket, and we are thrilled to recognize others who embrace the world we live in."

The ‘Eco Champion' program is a two-round campaign, created and managed by social media advertising network, Brickfish®. The program invites entrants to submit videos, photos or blogs showcasing people who deserve special recognition for their efforts to improve the environment. Twenty-five finalists, selected by The North Face® and Polartec® from round one, will advance to round two. Of the twenty-five finalists, one grand prize winner will be selected through online voting to receive a $15,000 donation made in their name to a green cause of their choice plus a $1,000 gift certificate to The North Face® online store. In addition to the grand prize winner, The North Face® and Polartec® will also award the second and third place winners with donations made in their names.

"The health of our planet and the outdoors is an integral part of The North Face brand," said Letitia Webster, Director of Corporate Sustainability for The North Face. "We are thrilled to partner with Polartec for the ‘Eco Champion' challenge to offer such a powerful program in recognition of the individual contributions of committed people and demonstrate the tremendous collective input we can all have."

All twenty-five ‘Eco Champion' finalists will receive a new Denali jacket by The North Face. The Denali, which debuted in 1989, helped introduce the warmth and functionality of Polartec® fleece to the world. A certifiable classic, the jacket has sold millions of units and can be found everywhere from Everest base camp to college campuses worldwide. This year, The North Face has switched the Polartec® fleece in the Denali to a new, recycled Polartec® Classic 300 fleece, which contains 87 percent recycled content. The new Denali will save the energy equivalent of approximately .83 gallons of gas and 33 pounds of carbon dioxide per jacket versus a jacket made using virgin polyester fleece.

The ‘Eco Champion' campaign ends March 18. For complete details, click here.

Our friends at OIA have made a strong statement in support of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act (S.22), a bill that would protect three million acres of land and 1000 miles of rivers. The bill passed the Senate in January, and now awaits action in the House. OIA sent this letter to all House members urging their support.

Nice work, OIA!

 I am almost embarassed by the amount of cell phones I have gone through over the past couple of years - I don't know if it's partly being an irresponsible phone user, or the fact that these things don't seem to be made to last.... I have had many hit the pavement, I've lost them, accidently submerged them in water, you name it, and I've probably done it.  The hard part is figuring out how to properly recycle them... Which is why during my last move I actually packed and unpacked 3 phones that are no longer functioning. 

Check out this great article by James Kanter that discusses how some cell phone companies are starting to go green:

Cellphones may be ubiquitous in the wealthy world - but the companies that make them seem to have been slower than some other consumer goods to jump on the green bandwagon.

Now there are signs that is about to change as the industry begins introducing a far wider range of eco-friendly options, as Eric Sylvers writes from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

That suggests a new niche for environmental technologies - and environmental marketing - could be quickly developing.

Click HERE to read more...                                        

For all the procrastinators out there, check out some last minute ideas from the Huffington Post on making your Valentine's Day more sustainable. 

OK, you put off getting something for Valentine's Day until the weekend, only to realize that V-Day is Saturday. No problem. We've got your last-second Valentine's Day gift ideas that are both romantic and (sometimes sneakily) eco-friendly. And before you get scared away at the idea, let me promise that two of them involve nudity. OK? Got that? Naked is on the list.

Click HERE to read more...

Less than a week after he rescinded controversial energy leases on BLM land near national parks in Southern Utah, new Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced yesterday that he would halt a Bush administration plan to open new offshore areas to oil and gas drilling. Salazar called the Bush plan "a headlong rush of the worst kind," and promised to "restore order to a broken process.

Check out the full story from the Washington Post.

The California Conservation Corps is threatend due to the budget deficit facing the state of California.  Read this article from The New York Times to see why this inspirational program in California may soon be history... 

A California Conservation Corps crew repaired trails in Mount Tamalpais State Park. The corps employs 1,300 young adults. More Photos >

MOUNT TAMALPAIS STATE PARK, Calif. - An hour before sunrise, Jason Prue, a shaggy-haired member of a California Conservation Corps work crew, stood scrubbing a breakfast dish in the rain, shaking off a night of sleeping in a wet tent and loving every minute of it.

"I like working in the rain," Mr. Prue, 21, said on Thursday. "It's beautiful. And it's a free shower."

But Mr. Prue, who joined the corps after living in his car for a stint, and hundreds like him could soon be jobless. A budget crisis has put the California Conservation Corps, the country's largest and oldest work program for mostly hard-luck teenagers and young adults, on the chopping block.

Click here to read the full story.

 

Teague Hatfield, owner of Alliance member FootZone of Bend was recognized by the Campaign for America's Wilderness for his commitment to Wilderness protection for The Badlands, a 30,000-acre desert wildland outside of his home in Bend, Oregon. Congratulations to Teague for this much-deserved recognition. Check out the article here.

On an unrelated note, Teague's shop hosts a weekly lunchtime run that helps ensure that Conservation Alliance staff leave their desks at least once a week!

How far will you go to reduce your carbon footprint?  Check out this great article from The New York Times that shows what some people are willing to go without to become more environmental responsible....

By STEVEN KURUTZ Published: February 4, 2009

FOR the last two years, Rachel Muston, a 32-year-old information-technology worker for the Canadian government in Ottawa, has been taking steps to reduce her carbon footprint - composting, line-drying clothes, installing an efficient furnace in her three-story house downtown.

About a year ago, though, she decided to "go big" in her effort to be more environmentally responsible, she said. After mulling the idea over for several weeks, she and her husband, Scott Young, did something many would find unthinkable: they unplugged their refrigerator. For good.

"It's been a while, and we're pretty happy," Ms. Muston said recently. "We're surprised at how easy it's been."

As drastic as the move might seem, a small segment of the green movement has come to regard the refrigerator as an unacceptable drain on energy, and is choosing to live without it. In spite of its ubiquity - 99.5 percent of American homes have one - these advocates say the refrigerator is unnecessary, as long as one is careful about shopping choices and food storage

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/garden/05fridge.html?_r=1&ref=earth

Supporting our operative theory that positive change has arrived in Washington DC in matters concerning the management of public lands, new Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will cancel oil and gas leases on 77 parcels of BLM land in Utah. The leases, covering 110,000 acres adjacent to Arches National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, and other special wildlands, were offered in the last days of the Bush Administration.

Sharon Buccino, an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council responded: "What's significant here is you really do have Salazar taking a very critical first step toward restoring some sort of balance to the management of public lands. We can have energy security without sacrificing the West's wild places."

Check out the full story from the Washington Post here.

 

At our August 2008 trade show breakfast, we hosted a talk by renowned writer and activist Bill McKibben who talked about the need to confront global warming by pushing a very simple number: 350. Climate scientists agree that the planet's atmosphere can sustain no more than 350 parts per million of Carbon Dioxide. We are currently at 387 ppm. 350.org is committed to raising broad awareness of this critical number prior to the next round of United Nations global warming negotiations. These negotiations are expected to produce a new global climate treaty during a session in Denmark in December 2009. 350.org's goal is to get negotiators to embrace the 350 ppm goal. To help build acceptance of the 350 number, the organization is asking people and groups to do anything they can think of to raise awareness of the number. Conservation Alliance member CamelBak has produced a water bottle with the 350.org logo. At our trade show breakfast two weeks ago, we gave each participant one of those bottles, and asked that the group stand with their bottles in the air while we took a photo of the group behind the 350.org banner. We like the way it turned out!

 

By Joel Makower
Published February 3, 2009 on Greenbiz.com

Water Becomes the New Carbon

It has become eco-chic in recent years to declare that "water will be the oil of the 21st century" - an essential and limited resource, unevenly distributed around the world, the growing shortage of which will lead to economic power for water-rich nations and poverty for the rest, possibly even resource wars between the haves and have-nots. Given that, how do water-dependent companies manage in a world where water quality and quantity become a constraint to doing business?

The question has remained largely theoretical, the basis of scenario and contingency planning for a handful of firms, with relatively few companies engaging in water strategy planning. But as the effects of climate change materialize with greater frequency, companies from California to Calcutta are taking a deeper dive into water efficiency, measuring and managing its use and finding ways to close the loop, even setting goals to become "water neutral." In that regard, water is less the "new oil" than the new carbon.

To read more click here.

 

Since launching the Legacy Fund Campaign in January 2008, The Conservation Alliance has raised $2.72 million in contributions and commitments. New gifts from KEEN, Inc., CamelBak, Leisure Trends, Stanley Outdoors, and several individuals have moved the total closer to the $3.5-million goal.

The Conservation Alliance Legacy fund is an endowment that, once fully funded, will provide a permanent source of operational funding for the organization. The Alliance launched the campaign in January 2008 with initial commitments from The North Face, REI, Merrell, Dansko, Patagonia, CamelBak, and former board president Menno van Wyk. The Legacy Fund now holds contributions from 34 companies and individuals.

"Our members are rising to a steep challenge because they want The Conservation Alliance to be a permanent force in the outdoor industry," said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance.

Though the economic crisis has made that challenge steeper, the Alliance plans to conclude a successful endowment campaign in August 2009.

"We're still hoping to reach our $3.5-million goal by reminding people that, despite the sputtering economy, the political landscape for conservation has never been this good," said Sterling. "Now is the time to invest in conservation."

For more information on The Conservation Alliance Legacy Fund, see www.conservationalliance.com/legacy.

Nine outdoor industry companies have joined The Conservation Alliance since the August OR Show. With a steady increase in membership, the Alliance now boasts 165 companies.

The new members are:  Nester Hosiery, Inc.; Adventurecorps, Inc.; Ultrarunning Magazine; Terri Schneider; Cosmic Planet; Leisure Trends; Outdoor Sports Marketing of SC, Inc.; Outdoor Industry Jobs;  and Justin Bailie Photography.

Each company joins at a time when the Conservation Alliance is focused on recruiting as many industry companies as possible. Each member company pays annual dues into a central fund, and the Alliance donates those funds to grassroots conservation organizations. The Alliance plans to donate $900,000 in 2009.

At the same time, the political landscape for conservation has rarely - if ever - been as bright as it is today. With a conservationist in the White House, and solid pro-conservation majorities in both houses of Congress, opportunities for conservation in the US are many.

"The grants we make over the next two years will be seeds planted in fertile political ground," said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance Executive Director. "Our new and existing members will help save some very important wild places in the near future."

Building on a partnership launched in 2005, KEEN Footwear has matched the first year's dues of the new member companies. With these new additions, KEEN has thus far matched $421,100 in new member dues since June, 2005.

New members include from the manufacturers, publications, freelance photographers, mills, sales representatives, creative agencies, and other industry vendors.

"Our community of conservation-minded companies continues to grow," said Sterling. "Together, we will save the wild places so important to outdoor customers."

The first Backyard Collective was a great success!  83 employees from seven Bay Area outdoor industry companies worked together to restore wetland habitat in Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline Park. Conservation Alliance member companies sponsoring the event included The North Face, Clif Bar, REI, Mountain Hardwear, Camelbak, Wilderness Press and Ahnu Footwear.

Check out this short video that made its debut at the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show at The Conservation Alliance Breakfast.

We look forward to future Backyard Collective gatherings.  Check back to our Events page to learn about events coming to your backyard.

Here is a great article from Greener Design that addresses the life cycle of a product, and shows how much  still needs to be done to reduce our dependence on landfills:

Product manufacturers worldwide have invested millions to improve the sustainability of their production processes. From the harvesting of raw materials to packaging on the final product, innovative changes are enabling companies to significantly reduce their carbon footprints.

That cradle-to-grave approach has resulted in novel front-end thinking about the impact products have on the environment. But it's not enough. Until companies approach product design with end-of-life in mind, landfills will continue to overflow with these "sustainably-designed" products whose usefulness have come to an end.

 Click here to read the full article:

http://www.greenerdesign.com/feature/2008/11/18/the-end-near

 

Last week, the US Senate approved legislation to protect 2 million acres of Wildernes, 1000 miles of rivers, and halt new energy leases on the 1.2-million-acre Wyoming Range. It's now up to the House to pass the bill, and send it on to President Obama for his signature.

The New York Times today urged the House to act swiftly. Click here for the full editorial.

On Saturday, January 18, a judge ruled in favor of Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (a Conservation Alliance grantee) to block the Bureau of Land Management from selling oil and gas leases on 110,000 acres of wilderness-quality land in Southern Utah.

Click here for full details.

 

When looking at our world today, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. I definitely do. And to often have that feeling that you want to help save our planet and the environment in some way but you are not sure exactly how to do it.The outdoor industry is one industry that should have the answers to these questions at their finger tips. We are actively encouraging our consumers to get out there and enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors. With that encouragement we should also be helping individuals find a way to give back, protect, and restore the places they are recreating in. And we, those who work in the outdoor industry, should be the ones setting the example.

This past week the outdoor industry and The Conservation Alliance answered the call. On Friday January 9th, The Conservation Alliance launched the first ConservationNEXT Backyard Collective event. ConservationNEXT is a program of The Conservation Alliance working to connect individuals in the outdoor industry with the work of organizations that receive financial support from the Alliance. The Backyard Collective is a roaming series of on the ground events that connects outdoor company employees to volunteer opportunities run by environmental organizations in their area.

At 9:00 am employees from The North Face, Camelbak, Clifbar, REI, Mountain Hardwear, Ahnu Footwear, and Wilderness Press joined together at Martin Luther King Shoreline Park in Oakland, California to help restore the native wetlands. Save The Bay, a local bay area nonprofit, helped organize the volunteers who spent the morning collecting 103 pounds of trash and the afternoon planting 864 native seedlings in the park.

Volunteers gathered for a midday barbeque and volunteer fair where representatives from Conservation Alliance grantees: California Wilderness Coalition, Friends of the River, Friends of the Inyo, and The Wilderness Society shared information about their organization and ways for volunteers to further their environmental conservation efforts.

"The event was a great success" said Brook Shinsky, co founder of ConservationNEXT and employee of The North Face. "ConservationNEXT set out to engage individuals of the outdoor industry with environmental organizations in their communities. The Backyard Collective is a great example of companies and people working together to not only further support the work of Conservation Alliance grantees but to get out in their own backyard and help support local environmental initiatives. It was a truly inspiring day."

ConservationNEXT.com provides people with opportunities to take online action in support of conservation. The Backyard Collective moves that action to the field, and helps people get their hands dirty in their own communities. Be sure to visit ConservationNEXT.com, become a NEXTer, to find out when the next Backyard Collective is coming to your hometown.

 

This is a great post from The Verteblog that shows the importance of having a clear communication strategy around your sustainability plan:

 

Newton Running has recently been featured in dozens of environmental and packaging blogs (yes, blogs about packaging) with a story about their cool, eco-friendly, molded pulp shoeboxes. The story reached a fever pitch with a re-post on treehugger.com.

One problem though, Newton never actually produced those shoeboxes.

Click here for the full story  - http://theverteblog.com/2009/01/14/form-vs-function-and-pr-20/

By a vote of 73-21, the US Senate passed a package of public lands bills that will protect two million acres of Wilderness, designate 1000 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers, and prohibit energy development on 1.2 million acres in Wyoming. The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives where it is expected to pass soon. The Conservation Alliance has invested heavily in the grassroots organizing and awareness raising campaigns that motivated Congress to act on thes protective measures. The package is the most comprehensive public lands protection measure we've seen in many, many years. Click here for a summary of the provisions in the bill that the Alliance has funded.

We'll keep you posted as things proceed in the House.

A large package of public lands bills was introduced into the Senate last week that would protect more than two million acres of land and 1000 miles of rivers throughout the US. More than a dozen projects funded by The Conservation Alliance are included in the package. Provisions include: new Wilderness designations in Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and West Virginia; Wild and Scenic River designations for streams in Oregon, California, Wyoming, and Idaho; and a prohibition on new oil and gas leases on the 1.2-million-acre Wyoming Range.

The Senate voted on Sunday to open debate on the bill, and we expect a full vote sometime this week. Please take a minute to call your Senators TODAY and urge them to vote for S. 22, the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act.

Click here for a full summary of the provisions in this historic legislation.

Our friend Terry Tempest Williams, who spoke at a Conservation Alliance event in 2007, responded eloquently in a Los Angeles Times op-ed to the BLM's proposal to sell gas leases adjacent to Utah's spectacular National Parks. Her piece concludes:

"The last-minute land grab in Utah's spectacular desert must be seen for what it is: not a boon for business but a bankruptcy of the imagination. What is actually being sold is the soul of a nation, one public parcel at a time."

I strongly encourage you to click here for the full article.

On a related note, you may have heard that Tim DeChristopher, a college student in Salt Lake City, monkeywrenched the BLM gas lease auction by bidding on many leases that he never intended to pay for. His actions cost other bidders hundreds of thousands of dollars, and prevented 22,500 acres of public lands from being sold to energy development.

Click here to read DeChristopher's explanation of why he did what he did.