Outdoor Alliance

Hurricane Helene has had devastating effects on western North Carolina and other parts of the east coast. It has also had profound effects on many beloved outdoor landscapes and communities. “Our first priority is the safety and well-being of Outdoor Alliance’s staff, partners, and their communities,” said Adam Cramer, CEO of Outdoor Alliance. “We are grateful for the efforts of first responders and search and rescue crews, as well as to those working to get supplies to communities affected by the storm.” Many local recreation organizations are mobilizing to help, and American Whitewater reminds recreationists to stay off waterways and other recreation areas in the short term. In the months ahead, there will be work to rebuild communities as well as trails and other recreation resources which are central to life in the southern Appalachians. There is work for the larger community to ask Congress to provide needed emergency funding, resources to restore public lands and waters in the southeast, and to address the climate crisis, including through nature-based climate solutions that can help mitigate the effects of extreme weather events.

Outdoor Alliance and outdoor advocates from around the country held more than 80 meetings with lawmakers on the Hill last month, championing some of our biggest policy priorities for the end of the year, including passing the EXPLORE Act. The EXPLORE Act is a bipartisan package of outdoor recreation policy to improve outdoor recreation on America’s public lands and waters. It includes many key bills that Outdoor Alliance and its partners have helped develop. Including: • The BOLT Act would create more biking trails • The PARC Act would safeguard Wilderness climbing • The SOAR Act would modernize recreational permitting for guides and outfitters The EXPLORE Act would also help land managers coordinate their efforts to improve access to nature and expand green space in communities that need it most. The voice of the outdoor recreation community, including outdoor business, is what we need to get this package across the finish line! Use our FastAction form to write your lawmakers about it: https://lnkd.in/geZqNYy4

Last month, Outdoor Alliance celebrated ten years of conservation powered by outdoor recreation in Washington D.C. We kicked off the week at REI’s flagship store where Bruce Westerman, Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, spoke about the importance of the outdoor community in advocating for the EXPLORE Act. Alongside 250 partners, board members, friends, and outdoor advocates, including REI, Patagonia, and professional climber Tommy Caldwell, we toasted some of our biggest successes over the last ten years. The outdoor community’s success at moving the needle on conservation is a team effort—the result of our powerful coalition of outdoor recreation groups, our partners in outdoor business, our partners in the environment and hunting and angling, and many tireless champions in Washington D.C. They are also the result of many voices speaking up on behalf of the outdoors. Be a part of the next big legislative wins supporting public lands and waters by taking action: https://lnkd.in/gguCYkRh

National Public Lands Day is Saturday, and we’re inviting you to join us in honoring the public lands and waters that shape our adventures. At Outdoor Alliance, we believe that everyone deserves access to public lands for recreation—whether it’s paddling down a river, topping out on a climb, hiking a neighborhood trail, or sending it on your mountain bike. Tomorrow, we encourage you to get out there and enjoy our public lands, but also to take some time to protect the places you love. Here are four ways to support public lands: • Write your lawmakers • Make a donation • Volunteer your time • Help spread the word By standing together, we can protect the present and future of outdoor recreation on America’s public lands and waters.

This month, outdoor recreation advocates and lawmakers in the West doubled down on supporting legislation that would improve outdoor recreation on public lands. The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act includes over a dozen policy measures to support recreation on public lands, from constructing long-distance bike trails and funding green spaces to supporting gateway communities. Outdoor Alliance held nearly 80 meetings about the EXPLORE Act with lawmakers and staff on Capitol Hill earlier this month. The push was part of our 10-year anniversary celebration. “The idea was to enhance the anniversary celebration by doing the type of advocacy and policy work that defines it,” said Adam Cramer, Outdoor Alliance CEO. “The message was crystal clear that a lot of people, a lot of communities, a lot of constituencies want this. I think that signal was received, and that gives me a lot of confidence that the Senate can figure it out.”

Katie Hawkins, California Program Director at Outdoor Alliance, has been selected to join the Obama Foundation Leaders program. The program trains participants around the world in leadership development and civic engagement to help build their skills and scale their work across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Katie spearheads human-powered outdoor recreation advocacy and policy efforts for Outdoor Alliance California, a statewide coalition of outdoor recreation advocacy groups. She is passionate about advocating for sustainable outdoor recreation, and operating from the grassroots level to shape policy. “I am honored to have been selected for the Obama Foundations Leaders program,” said Katie Hawkins. “I strongly believe that working together, we can make the change we want to see in the world. I am excited to work alongside other changemakers who are working towards strengthening democracy in their communities.”

Outdoor Alliance gathered 78 partners last week in Washington, D.C. to celebrate ten years of conservation powered by outdoor recreation and to advocate for more protections for public lands, better outdoor recreation policy, and climate action. Outdoor Alliance and our advocates held more than 80 meetings with lawmakers on the Hill, championing some of our biggest policy priorities for the end of the year. The outdoor community’s success at moving the needle on conservation over the last ten years is a team effort—the result of our powerful coalition, our partners in outdoor business and conservation, and the voices of many impassioned outdoor advocates. "Advocating for public lands in D.C. was an eye-opener,” said Kathleen Baker, Executive Director of Runners for Public Lands. “It’s clear that our voices matter and can drive meaningful change for human-powered recreation.” You have an important role to play in building an echo chamber of support for public land and recreation priorities. Take action by asking your lawmakers to pass the EXPLORE Act, fund public lands, and support the BLM Public Lands Rule. https://lnkd.in/gguCYkRh

“It’s been a long time since outdoor advocacy has seen a coalition like this.” - Andrew McLemore, GearJunkie Outdoor Alliance is in Washington D.C. this week with dozens of leaders from the outdoor recreation community to advocate for the EXPLORE Act, defending the Public Lands Rule, and protecting more of America’s public lands and waters. The week will showcase our Grasstops Collective, a program that trains leaders in the outdoor recreation community to build relationships with policymakers and advocate for conservation priorities. Beyond the Grasstops Collective, representatives of companies ranging from Patagonia to REI will be in attendance, along with outdoor leaders and athletes, such as climber Tommy Caldwell and staff from the Outdoor Industry Association. As we approach the end of the year, there is a lot of critical legislation at stake, including opportunities to protect, improve, and sustain outdoor recreation opportunities on public lands and waters. Help get this work across the finish line, by writing your lawmakers asking them to pass the EXPLORE Act and protect more of America’s public lands and waters. https://lnkd.in/gAbhHJjh

Next week, Outdoor Alliance and more than 75 supporters will gather in Washington D.C. to advocate for the next big legislative wins supporting public lands and waters. Along with our 10th anniversary celebration taking place just blocks away from the Capitol, Outdoor Alliance will also spend two days meeting with legislators. That builds on our work over the last decade, which has permanently protected 40 million acres of public land, secured $5.1 billion in funding for the outdoors, and converted more than 100,000 outdoor enthusiasts into outdoor advocates. “This advocacy event exemplifies what we are all about — getting hikers, kayakers, backcountry skiers, surfers, mountain bikers, all leveraging their love of place to help conserve and protect places at scale,” said Adam Cramer, CEO of Outdoor Alliance. Learn more about Outdoor Alliance’s conservation wins, and how you can join us in advocating for America’s public lands and waters:

For ten years, Outdoor Alliance has united the human-powered outdoor recreation community to achieve lasting conservation victories. Our coalition of national advocacy organizations includes the Colorado Mountain Club. The Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) is where outdoor recreationists who are passionate about education, adventure, and conservation come together. Madeline Bachner Lane, Executive Director of CMC said, "For more than a century, we’ve supported Colorado’s mountains and its community, and we’re here for the long haul.” Outdoor Alliance and CMC have worked together to protect the outdoors in Colorado and beyond. Our victories include the designation of the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument, expanding access to outdoor recreation via the Fix CRUS statute, and protecting Colorado’s National Forests through the GMUG Forest Plan. Learn more about our work together, and consider becoming a member of the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC). https://lnkd.in/gDpdEKmw