Our friends at GoLite with their Adventure Racing team, Team GoLite, shared some holiday cheer with The Consevation Alliance.  As part of the team's promise, they pledged to give back 10% of 2008 sponsorship money to an organization that truly makes a difference and can continue to help protect the open spaces.   The Conservation Alliance Legacy Fund is the recipient of this donation. 

Team GoLite is a multi-sport team participating in mainly adventure racing, trail running, and mountain biking events.  They care about the areas in which we're able to play, as well as the environmental impact they have in those areas, and do their part to lessen the impact, educate, and represent the sustainable ideals of GoLite.  The team is also sponsored by Native Energy, who offset the travel and CO2 emissions for their 2008 racing season. 

You can find more information about Team GoLite at their blogsite: http://boulderarteam.blogspot.com/

Thanks Team GoLite!!!

 

From Local Harvest:

Most of us start the New Year with good intentions of sticking to our ‘resolutions', but few of us actually ever do. Typically it seems that New Year's Resolutions center around large nebulous topics such as losing weight, getting healthy or increasing our net worth.

This year try making some simple, yet life changing New Year's Resolutions that will benefit you, your family and the environment.
   1. Reuse shopping bags, or better yet, get a durable bag to carry with you to the grocery store and on all your shopping trips.
   2. Take up Organic Gardening using no pesticides. Organic gardening is the perfect way to get fit, save money and grow something new from seed. Growing your own fruit, vegetables and plants in the garden is proven to help reduce stress and you will benefit from the increased wildlife from birds to bees to butterflies in your garden. Digging deep in your garden is good exercise and therapeutic at the same time. Start composting. It minimizes landfill waste and recycles it back into the earth. To buy sustainably grown herbs, perennials and shrubs grown with organic methods, visit StargazerPerennials.com.
   3. Buy locally made and grown products. Support local agriculture and rural economies by shopping at your local farmers market if possible. As an added bonus, locally grown products usually require less packaging and helps to eliminate the environmental costs of long-distance transport. The added bonus is that local fruits and vegetables are often fresher, higher in nutritional value and locally produced goods help support your own community.
   4. Say NO to fast food. Start cooking your own healthy meals and not only will you loose weight, be healthier but you will be saving money while supporting local small farm agriculture. Visit our sister website Farm Fresh Living for healthy, fresh recipes developed at our farm. Know what you eat and where your food comes from!

To read more click here http://www.localharvest.org/blog/19966/entry/12_simple_new_year_s 

  

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

"He didn't pour sugar into a bulldozer's gas tank. He didn't spike a tree or set a billboard on fire. But wielding only a bidder's paddle, a University of Utah student just as surely monkey-wrenched a federal oil- and gas-lease sale Friday, ensuring that thousands of acres near two southern Utah national parks won't be opened to drilling anytime soon.

Tim DeChristopher, 27, faces possible federal charges after winning bids totaling about $1.8 million on more than 10 lease parcels that he admits he has neither the intention nor the money to buy -- and he's not sorry.

"I decided I could be much more effective by an act of civil disobedience," he said during an impromptu streetside news conference during an afternoon blizzard. "There comes a time to take a stand."

Click here for the full article.

 

President-elect Barack Obama nominated Colorado Senator Ken Salazar to serve as his Interior Secretary. This appointment will have the greatest impact on the land and water conservation efforts over the next four years. The only other position that rivals the Interior Secretary's importance to conservation is Forest Service Chief. The Interior Secretary oversees the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. (The Forest Service is under the Department of Agriculture). Salazar will play an important role in the fate of our public lands.

Salazar is a strong champion of Wilderness, supporting efforts to designate most of Rocky Mountain National Park as Wilderness, and pushing efforts to protect Dominguez Canyon on the state's Western Slope. In his capacity as a Senator, has fought BLM efforts to open Colorado's Roan Plateau to energy development. In my experience he is thoughtful, smart, and informed. He understands that every issue has many stakeholders, but he's not afraid to take a stand for conservation.

Salazar is no stranger to the outdoor industry. The photo above was taken at a meeting in 2007 when representatives from several Colorado-based Conservation Alliance member companies met with him to voice support for Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness, and for the protection of other key wildlands in Colorado. His staff understands the outdoor industry, and has always made time to meet with our representatives.

Following are several articles about the appointment:

Salazar urged slow moves on West's shale
Obama picks Salazar as Interior secretary
A Conservationist for the Interior Dept.

President-elect Barack Obama will soon announce key appointments including Lisa Jackson as EPA Administrator, Steven Chu as Energy Secretary, Nancy Sutley as head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and Carol Browner as his "Energy Czar". Click here for more information on these choices.

Still up in the air is the key Interior Secretary appointment. Grist gives a good rundown of the current candidates.

More detail on these picks from the Washington Post.

Here is a great article that discusses the impact eating meat has on our carbon footprint.  I noticed a lot of Nexters have pledged to eat less meat this year to help reduce their negative impact on the environment, so I hope this article helps to strengthen your resolve!

As More Eat Meat, a Bid to Cut Emissions

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL Published: December 3, 2008

Meat Consumption and CO2

STERKSEL, the Netherlands - The cows and pigs dotting these flat green plains in the southern Netherlands create a bucolic landscape. But looked at through the lens of greenhouse gas accounting, they are living smokestacks, spewing methane emissions into the air.

That is why a group of farmers-turned-environmentalists here at a smelly but impeccably clean research farm have a new take on making a silk purse from a sow's ear: They cook manure from their 3,000 pigs to capture the methane trapped within it, and then use the gas to make electricity for the local power grid.

Rising in the fields of the environmentally conscious Netherlands, the Sterksel project is a rare example of fledgling efforts to mitigate the heavy emissions from livestock. But much more needs to be done, scientists say, as more and more people are eating more meat around the world.

What to do about farm emissions is one of the main issues being discussed this week and next, as the environment ministers from 187 nations gather in Poznan, Poland, for talks on a new treaty to combat global warming. In releasing its latest figure on emissions last month, United Nations climate officials cited agriculture and transportation as the two sectors that remained most "problematic."

"It's an area that's been largely overlooked," said Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Nobel Prize-winning United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He says people should eat less meat to control their carbon footprints. "We haven't come to grips with agricultural emissions."

The trillions of farm animals around the world generate 18 percent of the emissions that are raising global temperatures, according to United Nations estimates, more even than from cars, buses and airplanes.

But unlike other industries, like cement making and power, which are facing enormous political and regulatory pressure to get greener, large-scale farming is just beginning to come under scrutiny as policy makers, farmers and scientists cast about for solutions.

High-tech fixes include those like the project here, called "methane capture," as well as inventing feed that will make cows belch less methane, which traps heat with 25 times the efficiency of carbon dioxide. California is already working on a program to encourage systems in pig and dairy farms like the one in Sterksel.

Other proposals include everything from persuading consumers to eat less meat to slapping a "sin tax" on pork and beef. Next year, Sweden will start labeling food products so that shoppers can look at how much emission can be attributed to serving steak compared with, say, chicken or turkey.

"Of course for the environment it's better to eat beans than beef, but if you want to eat beef for New Year's, you'll know which beef is best to buy," said Claes Johansson, chief of sustainability at the Swedish agricultural group Lantmannen.

But such fledgling proposals are part of a daunting game of catch-up. In large developing countries like China, India and Brazil, consumption of red meat has risen 33 percent in the last decade. It is expected to double globally between 2000 and 2050. While the global economic downturn may slow the globe's appetite for meat momentarily, it is not likely to reverse a profound trend.

Of the more than 2,000 projects supported by the United Nations' "green" financing system intended to curb emissions, only 98 are in agriculture. There is no standardized green labeling system for meat, as there is for electric appliances and even fish.

Indeed, scientists are still trying to define the practical, low-carbon version of a slab of bacon or a hamburger. Every step of producing meat creates emissions.

Flatus and manure from animals contain not only methane, but also nitrous oxide, an even more potent warming agent. And meat requires energy for refrigeration as it moves from farm to market to home.

Producing meat in this ever-more crowded world requires creating new pastures and planting more land for imported feeds, particularly soy, instead of relying on local grazing. That has contributed to the clearing of rain forests, particularly in South America, robbing the world of crucial "carbon sinks," the vast tracts of trees and vegetation that absorb carbon dioxide.

"I'm not sure that the system we have for livestock can be sustainable," said Dr. Pachauri of the United Nations. A sober scientist, he suggests that "the most attractive" near-term solution is for everyone simply to "reduce meat consumption," a change he says would have more effect than switching to a hybrid car.

The Lancet medical journal and groups like the Food Ethics Council in Britain have supported his suggestion to eat less red meat to control global emissions, noting that Westerners eat more meat than is healthy anyway.

Producing a pound of beef creates 11 times as much greenhouse gas emission as a pound of chicken and 100 times more than a pound of carrots, according to Lantmannen, the Swedish group.

But any suggestion to eat less meat may run into resistance in a world with more carnivores and a booming global livestock industry. Meat producers have taken issue with the United Nations' estimate of livestock-related emissions, saying the figure is inflated because it includes the deforestation in the Amazon, a phenomenon that the Brazilian producers say might have occurred anyway.

United Nations scientists defend their accounting. With so much demand for meat, "you do slash rain forest," said Pierre Gerber, a senior official at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Soy cultivation has doubled in Brazil during the past decade, and more than half is used for animal feed.

Laurence Wrixon, executive director of the International Meat Secretariat, said that his members were working with the Food and Agriculture Organization to reduce emissions but that the main problem was fast-rising consumption in developing countries. "So whether you like it or not, there's going to be rising demand for meat, and our job is to make it as sustainable as possible," he said.

Estimates of emissions from agriculture as a percentage of all emissions vary widely from country to country, but they are clearly over 50 percent in big agricultural and meat-producing countries like Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

In the United States, agriculture accounted for just 7.4 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in 2006, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The percentage was lower because the United States produces extraordinarily high levels of emissions in other areas, like transportation and landfills, compared with other nations. The figure also did not include fuel burning and land-use changes.

Wealthy, environmentally conscious countries with large livestock sectors - the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and New Zealand - have started experimenting with solutions.

In Denmark, by law, farmers now inject manure under the soil instead of laying it on top of the fields, a process that enhances its fertilizing effect, reduces odors and also prevents emissions from escaping. By contrast, in many parts of the developing world, manure is left in open pools and lathered on fields.

Others suggest including agriculture emissions in carbon cap-and-trade systems, which currently focus on heavy industries like cement making and power generation. Farms that produce more than their pre-set limit of emissions would have to buy permits from greener colleagues to pollute.

New Zealand recently announced that it would include agriculture in its new emissions trading scheme by 2013. To that end, the government is spending tens of millions of dollars financing research and projects like breeding cows that produce less gas and inventing feed that will make cows belch less methane, said Philip Gurnsey of the Environment Ministry.

At the electricity-from-manure project here in Sterksel, the refuse from thousands of pigs is combined with local waste materials (outdated carrot juice and crumbs from a cookie factory), and pumped into warmed tanks called digesters. There, resident bacteria release the natural gas within, which is burned to generate heat and electricity.

The farm uses 25 percent of the electricity, and the rest is sold to a local power provider. The leftover mineral slurry is an ideal fertilizer that reduces the use of chemical fertilizers, whose production releases a heavy dose of carbon dioxide.

For this farm the scheme has provided a substantial payback: By reducing its emissions, it has been able to sell carbon credits on European markets. It makes money by selling electricity. It gets free fertilizer.

And, in a small country where farmers are required to have manure trucked away, it saves $190,000 annually in disposal fees. John Horrevorts, experiment coordinator, whose family has long raised swine, said that dozens of such farms had been set up in the Netherlands, though cost still makes it impractical for small piggeries. Indeed, one question that troubles green farmers is whether consumers will pay more for their sustainable meat.

"In the U.K., supermarkets are sometimes asking about green, but there's no global system yet," said Bent Claudi Lassen, chairman of the Danish Bacon and Meat Council, which supports green production. "We're worried that other countries not producing in a green way, like Brazil, could undercut us on price."

From the New York Times:

"The White House on Tuesday approved a final rule that will make it easier for coal companies to dump rock and dirt from mountaintop mining operations into nearby streams and valleys."

Check out the full article.

Mountaintop removal is one of those issues that sounds like science fiction. But it is very real, and communities throughout Appalachia have been dealing with its impacts for years. Basically, mining companies take the tops off mountains, and plop the debris in nearby river valleys. Conservation groups -- including Conservation Alliance grantees Appalachian Voices and Coal River Mountain Watch -- have argued that the practice violates the Clean Water Act. EPA -- an arm of the Bush administration -- disagrees. I haven't read their rationale, but it sounds like their argument is that if the disposal of waste completely buries a stream, there are no water quality issues because there is no longer any surface water. The US really needs to confront this issue. In our push for energy independence, the easiest -- and most destructive -- path is to increase our use of domestic coal. Of all fossil fuels, coal emissions have the highest level of CO2, and extracting coal has an enormous impact on local communities and the mountain landscape.

[by Team TreeHugger]

  

Is anything more wonderful than finding the perfect gift for someone, or receiving the present that's just what you needed? How about gift-giving accompanied by the knowledge that your gift is also a gift for the planet? There's more to green giving than just switching to the stuff with the "green" label, however. Here are some pointers for finding the right gifts that make everyone happy.

1.  Be sure your material gift will get used
   It may be the thought that counts, but a gift that the receiver does not use is simply wasted: not a very nice thought. Give material possessions only if you know the recipient well enough to pick out something they were on the cusp of getting for themselves, or which they really need and will certainly enjoy using.
   
2. Give a consumable gift
   Your friend will love your consumable gift twice: once while enjoying the organic teas, fair trade coffee, fresh flowers, fresh or dried fruits and nuts, or other consumable gift; and again when they appreciate that your gift leaves them with no guilty conscience about a gift left unused in the corner of their closet.
   
3. Share a piece of yourself
   Avoid material consumption altogether. Instead, offer your services to baby-sit while your friend enjoys a cozy date with their partner, give a gift certificate for a relaxing massage, or a winter's-worth of driveway shoveling (in which case you just save that massage for yourself).
   
4. Make a gift of a green service
   If your time is prioritized elsewhere, you can buy a green service. Consider a gift of carbon offsets for a commuting colleague or a Zipcar membership for a friend who more frequently must turn to taxis to supplement their public transport lifestyle.
   
5. Make a gift of any service
   You will still reduce material consumption by giving a service of any kind. Especially heart-warming are humanitarian services, such as making a gift of a micro-loan (for example via Kiva).
   
6. Give a gift where it is needed on behalf of someone better off
   Make a child smile when they get a card describing the child in another part of the world whose life will be improved by the gift of a llama or a sheep on their behalf (for example via World Gifts or Heifer.
   
7. Creative gifts show you care
   The baby sweater you knit yourself is more likely to become a family heirloom, extending the life cycle of the materials in your gift.
   
8. Buy a local gift
   A gift made or grown locally can tell a story or share a unique product you have discovered on your own stomping grounds. Your locally-sourced gift will save the environment from the emissions involved in shipping.
   
9. Buy high-quality goods
   Sometimes a little extra care or money invested will result in finding a high quality gift that will do justice to the materials consumed in the manufacturing by a long lifespan. Try flea markets or vintage and second-hand shops for quality goods you can afford: then make the gift "new" with a personal touch like a special paint job, or some ribbon around the edges. Your friend will enjoy your perfect high-quality gift much longer!
   
10. Think about your packaging
    Use packaging that will not go to waste. Your packaging may be part of the gift itself, such as wrapping the gift in a scarf or enclosing it in a box that can be reused for collecting life's odds and ends. Reusable wrapping, such as a gift bag, will pass on the fun. For family and close friends, consider the Sunday funnies instead of commercial gift wrap.

Gift Giving: By the Numbers

• 25 percent: Increase in the trash generated during the holiday season.
• 86 percent: TreeHugger readers who say their kids have too much stuff.
• 97 percent: Of restaurant gift certificate receivers who say they would like to receive a restaurant gift certificate again.
• 83,000,000: Square meters of gift wrap which winds up on the U.K. rubbish heaps after the holiday season.
• $300 million: Dollars spent in the U.S. on mass market women's bath gift sets.

 

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

"In the face of intense opposition from the National Park Service, members of Congress and a top official from President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management backed down Tuesday from its plan to sell oil and gas leases near national parks and wilderness-quality areas in Utah on Dec. 19."

It's good to know that the BLM can admit when they've made a serious blunder. But, people who care about Utah's wild places should keep an eye on this one. None of these lands are truly safe until Congress withdraws them from future leasing.

Read the full article.

The Idaho Statesman -- the paper of record for the state's largest city -- just published an upbeat editorial that offers a vision of hope for salmon recovery in the Columbia/Snake river systems of Idaho and Oregon. It's a good read, and shows how new leadership in Washington, with a commitment to salmon, new energy developments, and fixing aging infrastructure could finally break the impasse over whether to breach the four lower Snake River dams to save the once legendary salmon populations. Check it out.

 

Congress will not vote this year on a package of legislation that includes more than 15 provisions to protect Wilderness and wild rivers on public lands in the US. Conservation Alliance grantees worked hard to build public support to protect places including Mount Hood in Oregon, Idaho's Owyhee Canyonlands, California's White Mountains, and rivers in the Snake Headwaters of Wyoming. Those campaigns eventually took legislative form, and are now included in the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2008, which might have passed during the current "lame duck" session of Congress. Unfortunately, Congressional leaders decided to focus their limited time on the economic crisis, and not schedule a vote on the lands package.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid claims that the Senate will consider the package in January 2009, and we have reason to be hopeful it will pass the entire Congress and be signed into law before Spring.

If it passes in its current form, the bill would protect two million acres of wilderness, 1000 miles of rivers, and prohibit new oil and gas development on 1.2 million acres in the Wyoming Range. We look forward to keeping everyone posted on this historic initiative as it moves in 2009.

Monday, November 10, 2008

The End of Euphoria

 

On November 4, 2008 the world witnessed a great day in history. Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States. In a victory that can only be described as a landslide, the nation's first African-American head of state elect ushers in a new era that finally fulfills the promise of the American dream. In the collective voice of citizens casting ballots in record numbers, the people of this country have set aside old notions of race and ethnicity to elect a leader without the pedigree of a privileged few.  But rather these citizens have chosen one of their own, a man who has made his way from the least enfranchised corners of our society. Through his depth of character and the heights of his aspirations President elect Obama has demonstrated once and for all that the United States of America is indeed a great land of opportunity where anyone can achieve their dreams.

But now at the end of a bitter election the nation must be quick to cast aside the giddy euphoria of this great accomplishment. As we celebrate having passed this milestone in our history we must sober our thinking to realize that we are still a country in crisis. The so-called war on terror still rages with American soldiers fighting on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our economy is in shambles, teetering on the brink of collapse. Tens of millions of our citizens lack even basic health care. And the natural environment, which sustains our human lives is in peril of irreparable harm.

So it's important for the American people to realize that there is much work to do in the coming months and years as we rebuild our nation. And as a new administration prepares its platform to lead we must also realize that the damage inflicted in recent years continues and will go on right up to the day President elect Obama is inaugurated.

In a report issued by the elect committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, Massachusetts Congressman and chairman Edward Markey laid out the details of what the American people can expect in the weeks to come. Entitled Past Is Prologue: The Bush Administration's Last 100 days Markey brings to light several efforts to deregulate environmental policies that protect air, land and water throughout the United States.

The Environmental Protection Agency aims to lower emission standards for power plants and other facilities that emit pollutants adjacent to national parks. By changing the emission standards the EPA is giving a green light to the construction of new plants near Class-1 environmentally protected sites.

In a similar policy shift the EPA will also loosen restrictions on requirements to plug leaks in pipeline fittings at petroleum refineries. Called fugitive emissions these pipe leaks will continue uncheck adding to the pollution of nearby communities and the natural areas that surround them.

The Department of the Interior has plans to make major changes to the Endangered Species Act. Allowing only 10 days for public comment the DOI will attempt to have expert scientific review taken out of the species selection process and exempt the impact of climate change as a cause of habitat recession.

Despite the historic events of the previous week America is not out the woods, not by a long shot. In fact we are only just embarking upon a very long journey toward the fulfillment of our nation's potential to be a force of good for the planet and future generations. Fortunately as president Obama can act to reverse many of these 11th hour policy changes enacted by the outgoing Bush Administration. But that will take time and will distract from other more pressing issues. As citizens it will be our responsibility to be informed and to speak out whenever the interest of a few subvert the needs of the many. And as environmental policy will likely run a distant 4th behind the economy, national security and health care in the early days of the Obama Administration we must remain vigilant to acts of corporate greed and political expediency that threaten our precious natural resources of air, land and water.

 

-James Mills

The Oudoor Professional

Check out this great article at Orion Magazine sharing how people all over the world are using the internet to promote environmental not-for-profits that they support. Last year hundreds of individuals uploaded homemade videos to YouTube discussing environmental and humanitarian issues they cared about and the not-for-profit organizations that were working toward solutions. YouTube has become a new way for people to express what they care about and help each other find solutions to the problem. It has this to say about the NEXT generation: “it’s upbeat, team-oriented, and tech-savvy; it makes broad connections among social, economic, and environmental concerns; it focuses on small, practical changes and makes them fun.”  Enjoy the read!

 

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/4148

 

 

Check out the November 7 article on the National Geographic Adventure blog.  Conservation Alliance has funded a large number of the projects included in this bill.  If the Omnibus passes we will have a lot to celebrate!

"Vote the Environment" doesn't stop with the culmination of the presidential election: Congress is set to protect 3 million acres of land across the United States and add safeguards to 1,000 miles of rivers-but it needs encouragement to get its lame-duck butt back to D.C. to approve it."

read more at: www.theadventurelife.org

Are you a slacktivist????

 We at ConservationNEXT are working to reverse this growing trend...  check out the transcript below from a recent NPR Perspective that gets to the heart of what we are trying to do and who were are hoping to reach with conservationnext.com

Slacktivism: Antidote to Apathy
September 11, 2008 from Day to Day
ALEX CHADWICK, host: Back now with Day to Day and What's the New What?

MADELEINE BRAND, host:  We have one of these stories for you every week from Youth Radio. We're tracking trends among the young people. Hope is the new rebellion, inner city the new in-crowd.

CHADWICK: And with the latest fad, here's Nico Savidge.

NICO SAVIDGE: What's the new what? I say slacktivism is the new apathy. Everyone knows the old stereotypes about the so-called apathetic teenagers of Generations X and Y. We couldn't care less about politics. We'd rather rock out on "Guitar Hero" than learn about issues affecting our community. We're apathetic. We're tuned out. We're uninformed. But now, my peers are finding a new way to get involved in politics, slacktivism.

Mr. MIKE DICENZO (Assistant Editor, The Onion): (Reading) For years, government-backed Arab forces known as the Janjaweed militia had attempted to wipe out black farmers in Sudan's western Darfur region.

SAVIDGE: That's Mike DiCenzo, senior writer at The Onion, reading from the satirical atlas, "Our Dumb World."

Mr. DICENZO: (Reading) However, just as they were about to set fire to another village, word reached them that an American teenager thought that what was happening in Sudan, quote, "sucked." After learning that all her friends agreed, they immediately called off the whole genocide.

SAVIDGE: DiCenzo was mocking slacktivism, the hybrid of slackers and activists.

CAITLIN GREY: I get at least five emails a day asking me to either sign a petition, send a letter, call a congressman...

SAVIDGE: Sixteen-year-old Caitlin Grey is a classic slacktivist.

GREY: Would be that I always type in my name and email address when they ask me to sign a petition. When they ask me to call a congressman? Never done it once.

SAVIDGE: You won't see slacktivists marching the street for their beliefs, but you will see their passive forms of protest on blogs and Facebook pages. Here, Caitlin reads off some of the causes she supports online.

GREY: End the Seal Hunt, Stop Global Warming, Rebirth the Earth, Trees for Tomorrow - didn't even know I was on that one - PETA...

SAVIDGE: While Caitlin is realistic that her Facebook support doesn't affect those causes, some people think that these symbolic acts create real change. Slacktivism may have replaced out right apathy, but often the only thing it changes is how active people think they are. However, organizations like Product Red have turned slacktivism into action. So far, proceeds from Red-branded MP3 players, t-shirts and laptops have raised more than 110 million dollars for HIV/AIDS treatment and education in Africa. Although examples of effective slacktivism are rare, it's great that my peers have found a way to educate themselves about major issues in the world. Even if our political dedication stops when we leave the Internet, awareness is often the first step in creating real change. It is just like those old GI Joe PSAs.

(Soundbite of GI Joe Public Service Announcement)

Unidentified Child: Now I know.

Unidentified Man: And knowing is half the battle.

Unidentified Man and SAVIDGE: (Singing) GI Joe.

SAVIDGE: Oh, that's embarrassing.

(Soundbite of song "Slacker") Mr. TECH N9NE: (Singing) (I'm a slacker) Never did I have a lotta dough. (I'm a slacker) Smoking pot and watching videos. (I'm a slacker) Go whichever way the wind blows...

BRAND: Nico Savidge on slacktivism. What's the New What? is Youth Radio and Day to Day's weekly series on cultural trends.

Copyright ©1990-2005 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript may not be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission. For further information, please contact NPR's Rights and Reuse Associate at (202) 513-2030.

Many of you had the pleasure of seeing Dr. John Francis (aka "The Planetwalker") speak at the January 2008 Conservation Alliance Breakfast. You can now check out a condensed version of his talk on YouTube. Amazing storyteller.

 

On election day, when the media and most Americans were focusing on other things, the Bush Administration announced plans to sell new oil and gas leases on thousands of acres of public land on or near the boundaries of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and Dinosaur National Monument. These new leases will go up for sale on December 19, just a few days before Christmas, when most people will, again, be distracted by the holidays.

The new leases took the National Park Service by surprise according to a Salt Lake Tribune article. Also surprised was the incoming Obama Administration. Demonstrating that change is coming to the White House, Obama transition team leader John Podesta said on Fox News Sunday:

"You see the Bush administration even today moving aggressively to do things that I think are probably not in the interest of the country. They want to have oil and gas drilling in some of the most sensitive, fragile lands in Utah that they're going to try to do right as they are walking out the door. I think that's a mistake." 

Conservation Alliance grantee Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance encourages you to thank President-elect Obama for his concern over oil and gas drilling in Utah.

The New York Times published a good editorial about this bad idea on Friday.

 

Tuesday's election was historic on many levels. Aside from the obvious - our first African American President, a record voter turnout - in the quieter corners of the election results lie some great news for conservation in the US. The Conservation Alliance has invested heavily in grassroots efforts to build support at the local level for the protection of wild lands and rivers managed by the federal government. Many of those local efforts have taken, or will soon take, legislative form to be considered by the US Congress. Following is a rundown of states where our grantees are working on projects, and how the election has changed the political dynamics for those projects.

Oregon
Jeff Merkley has defeated Senator Gordon Smith in one of the tightest Senate races in the country. Smith was the last Republican Senator on the west coast, and has been inconsistent on conservation. He strongly supports the proposal for new wilderness designations on Mount Hood, and over time came to support similar designations for two desert wildlands, the Badlands and Spring Basin. But, he has refused to support a popular effort to protect the tributaries of the Rogue River. To call Smith a conservation leader would be a stretch, as he usually follows the lead of Oregon's other Senator, Ron Wyden. Most in the conservation community think Merkley will be much stronger on conservation.

Colorado
Efforts to protect wild places in Colorado got a huge boost from the election of Congressman Mark Udall to the Senate seat vacated by Wayne Allard. Udall is a champion of conservation, and led the effort in the House of Representatives to move legislation to protect 250,000 acres of wilderness in Rocky Mountain National Park. Colorado now has two Senators who are committed to protecting wildlands and rivers. Allard was often an obstacle to conservation in the state, so Udall's victory is a good sign for the future of the Rocky Mountain National Park effort, and for the campaigns to protect Dominguez Canyon, Browns Canyon, and public lands in the San Juan Mountains.

New Mexico
Tom Udall (Mark's cousin) won the Senate seat vacated by long-time opponent of conservation Pete Domenici. Udall is a strong advocate for conservation, and is likely to help efforts to protect wilderness areas throughout New Mexico. On the House side, Martin Heinrich, a strong conservationist, won the seat that represents Albuquerque and surrounding areas. Heinrich once served on the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance board of directors.

Idaho
Idaho remains a challenging state for conservation, but the election brought two major changes. First, former governor Jim Risch won the Senate seat vacated by Larry Craig, who spent his entire career in the Senate fighting conservation efforts. Risch supports Idaho Conservation League's (ICL) proposal for Wilderness designations in the Boulder-White Clouds Mountains. In other great news, ICL board member Walt Minnick beat incumbent Bill Sali in the race for one of Idaho's two House seats. Minnick will join Congressman Mike Simpson - the champion of legislation for the Boulder-White Clouds - in representing Idaho. 

Montana
There were no major changes in Montana. Pro-conservation Senator Max Baucus easily won re-election, and now has a long six years before his next campaign. With that breathing room, it seems likely that Baucus will join with Senator Jon Tester in his effort to champion legislation to protect 500,000 acres of wilderness in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, which Tester has indicated he will introduce in 2009.

California
There were no changes in California that will significantly impact conservation efforts there. Several California Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers bills are pending in Congress, and their champions all won re-election.

Each year, the League of Conservation Voters publishes a scorecard to gauge how members of Congress voted on key energy and environmental issues. The higher the score, the more frequently a member voted for the environment. Following is a summary the new members of Congress from key states, the people they are replacing, and their respective LCV Scorecard ratings. Most of the newly elected do not have voting records to rate, hence the n/a.

State  New Member(LCV Score)   Replacing (LCV Score)
CO  Sen. Mark Udall (92%)     Sen. Wayne Allard (18%)
NM  Sen. Tom Udall (92%)     Sen. Pete Domenici (18%)
NM  Rep. Martin Heinrich (n/a)    Rep. Heather Wilson (23%)
OR  Sen. Jeff Merkley (n/a)     Sen. Gordon Smith (38%)
ID  Rep. Walt Minnick (n/a)    Rep. Bill Sali (8%)
ID  Sen. Jim Risch (n/a)     Sen. Larry Craig (9%)
NC  Sen. Kay Hagan (n/a)     Sen. Elizabeth Dole (12%)
NH  Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (n/a)    Sen. John Sununu (35%)

On larger issues, yesterday's election indicates that the US is likely to take greater leadership on the worldwide effort to combat global warming and encourage new advancements in alternative energy. President-elect Barack Obama made investing in new energy technologies a key campaign issue. He has also made strong statements about curbing carbon dioxide emissions. We can also expect Obama to appoint pro-environment people to fill important positions at EPA, and the Interior and Agriculture departments, which manage our public lands.
 
That's the quick overview. All in all, the conservation movement has endured a difficult eight years, but the next four should be very productive ones for conservation.

Timex has produced the final two videos in their Return to the Outdoors promotion. You can view both Rick Ridgeway's and Lucas Reynold's pieces on the youtube links below.  Each film starts with a nice PSA about The Conservation Alliance and shares each person's story about their special place.  I also recommend checking out http://www.returntotheoutdoors.com/ to see all of the videos in this series and to learn more about this inspirational campaign.

Rick Ridgeway:

Lucas Reynolds:

Recently the ConservationNEXT Board of Directors converged on Santa Barbara to gather our thoughts about the next steps for ConservationNEXT.  It was a great meeting of the minds, a wonderful opportunity for planning and provided much needed face time.  That day we outlined a strategic plan and budget for the coming year and each renewed our commitment to this organization.  Ironically and totally coincidentally the inspiration for ConservationNEXT, Terry Tempest-Williams, happened to be on her book tour passing through Santa Barbara on the last night of our meeting.  Our group enjoyed the evening listening to readings from Terry's latest book Finding Beauty in a Broken World and all of the stories that inspired her latest publication.  Terry took the time to talk with our group after the book signing and once again gave motivation and advice to our group.

Megan "Megs" Pischke is a sponsored snowboard athlete for Conservation Alliance member company The North Face.  Megs utilizes yoga in focusing for events and balancing life.  We enjoyed this piece about The Global Mala Project; it is a great example of doing something in your own life for something larger than yourself.  Enjoy! 

"The purpose of Global Mala is to unite the global yoga community from every continent, school or approach to form a "mala around the earth" through collective practices based upon the sacred cycle of 108.  Held on Sept.21st and 22nd, the Fall Equinox, this is the yoga world's offering to further the UN International Peace day."
 
In short, it's a beautiful way to connect locally, globally, and spiritually, to support inner peace, and therefore be able to promote peace and help others. I believe it is important to cultivate and let your inner light shine, and therefore, give others permission to do the same.

As part of the Global Mala, each town, city, or community/group offers their form of a Yoga Mala (prayer) according to their yoga tradition and inspiration. Here in Vail, Colorado we (and I say we meaning over 70 participants!!) started off by offering up 108 sun salutations where every 20-25 was led by a different local or visiting yoga teacher. Each instructor provided inspiration for thought and personal prayer, and then offered up everything from local love, to love for other global communities in need, and of course to our beautiful Mother Earth. I have to admit, although I practice yoga often, I thought 108 sun salutations in a row would be trying. On the contrary, I really felt like I could have done 108 more!  I was not only moved emotionally, but empowered by the true spirit and strength of everyone participating that day. I felt a great hope and inspiration for our future of our planet, and all beings that reside here. We then had a beautiful meditation led by Eric, one of our local teachers/students. And to finalize the morning, we were blessed with a special presence. Sri Dandapani, a buddist monk from Kauai, HI. He led us through 108 mantras:

LOKAHA SAMASTA SUKHINO BHAVANTU
May all beings experience the blessing of unconditional happiness!

Namaste to all who helped organize something like this, and most especially my beautiful community of Vail for inspiring me daily!  Namaste to Shiva Rae.  Shiva is a founder of the Global Mala Project, and I am so grateful for all her inspiration and killer dance moves!

Global Mala plants seeds, get out there and participate!!
www.globalmala.org

Our local organization that was represented and supported that day is Bright Future Foundation (www.brightfuturefoundation-ec.org) a group that encourages and supports prevention and intervention of domestic violence.

Thanks for tuning in!
Megs

 

I have to say transitioning from the walls of the Grand Canyon to the walls of the capital is no easy task. In fact my head was spinning a bit as I left a 15 day Grand Canyon trip, made the quick 12 hour drive back to California and hopped on a plane heading to DC. But when I arrived at my hotel which had a direct view to our nation’s capital I knew this was going to be a unique experience.

 

John Sterling, the Executive Director of the Conservation Alliance asked a couple of us NEXTers to join him on a trip to the capital to lobby on behalf on a large package of public lands bills that were making their way through Congress. The bill, S. 3213 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2008, is comprised of 153 bills (introduced by both Democrats and Republican Senators) affecting special public lands in over 30 states. We, as representatives from the Outdoor Industry, were there to show our representatives that protected public lands and waterways are essential to the health of the outdoor industry. Together, John Sterling from The Conservation Alliance, Brook Shinsky from The North Face, Megan Waterman from Osprey Packs and I, representing The Forest Group met with a variety of senators and congressman expressing to them the importance of wild places.

 

We were joining the efforts of Wilderness Week, a gathering of a variety of environmental advocacy groups who convene in D.C. annually to provide not only support for each other’s efforts but a time to come together under a united mission and speak about the importance of wild places. Since our group has representation from California, Colorado and Oregon we focused our attention on talking to representatives of these three states.

 

Our first day started with an orientation both to the political issues and the act of lobbying. We were greeted by representatives from The Wilderness Society and Campaign for America’s Wilderness. These organizations have quite a bit of representation in Washington and were well versed on the Omnibus Bill, its current state of action, and how best to utilize our efforts. We then had a chance to gather as a group and go over our talking points. Each of us worked on the message we felt both spoke to the issues that were important to us as individual as well as to the companies we represented. We then packed up our bags and headed to the hill.

 

The first day we meet with staff for Senator Barbara Boxer from California, Senator Jeff Sessions from Alabama, Senator Gordon Smith from Oregon, Representative John Doolittle from California and Representative John Salazar from Colorado. I was surprised by the positive response we received during each of our meetings.

 

Representative Doolittle was one meeting I was slightly apprehensive going into. I live in Doolittle’s district in California, and to put it nicely we do not see eye to eye on politics. He is currently a lame duck congressman and this will be his last year in office but nonetheless I was not sure how our conversation would go. We met with a young man from his office who was seemingly uninterested when we first started talking about wilderness. However when we explained where we were coming from and the different companies we represented his eyes started to light up. By the end he pulled out his old North Face backpack that he had forever and explained how much he loved his bag. By the end of the conversation he confessed the he never had thought about the economic benefits of wilderness. . . I felt like we left a good impression.

 

To be honest there was a piece of me that felt that lobbying in DC may be overlooked and unappreciated by our government representatives. However, after our first day on the hill I was surprised at how energized I was and how successful I felt our efforts had been. I encourage anyone who has the chance to visit our capital and share your opinion with your representatives to take advantage of the opportunity.

 

As election day nears, I've been looking for a good summary of where the two presidential candidates stand on public lands issues. Today, Grist published a good overview, and provided this wonderful photo. Check it out!

 

In April, we sent a grant to the Campaign to Save Roan Plateau to support the group's work to halt proposed oil and gas development on the Roan, a special wild place on Colorado's Western Slope. Last week, we learned from the campaign that they won an eight-month reprieve for the Roan. See below from Colorado Environmental Coalition's Elise Jones: 

"I wanted to share with you the good news that we were able to achieve an eight-month reprieve for the Roan!  The conservation groups like CEC who sued to protect the Roan just reached a big agreement with the oil and gas companies holding the leases:  there will be no drilling or surface disturbing activities allowed on the Roan until next June (at least), in order to allow the court to rule on the merits of our lawsuit (which claims that the BLM's "drill-it-all" plan for the Roan doesn't comply with the law).  In exchange for this protection agreement, we agreed to drop our motion for preliminary injunction, since the agreement gives us what we want.  This is great news, and means that if our lawyers are as good as we think they are, we can still prevail in protecting the Roan!"

Congratulations to the campaign, and stay tuned for future updates!

Our friends at Patagonia continue to make great strides raising awareness about the importance of voting in the upcoming and all elections. 

There are countless reasons to vote this year.  But with so many polarizing issues in the world, it is easy to overlook the one issue that might seem less important - the health of our natural environment.

Whether you are Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green or anything in between, help create the change you want to see:

1) Register to vote

2) Get informed

3) Vote the Environment

For more information on the Vote the Environment campaign go to www.votetheenvironment.org.

You can also find Vote the Environment on Facebook.  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vote-the-Environment/21893527324

As a follow up to our successful launch at the Outdoor Retailer Summer 2008 show SNEWS reporter James Mills featured ConservationNEXT on a SNEWS Live podcast.

Take a minute to listen as two of our Board members are interviewed about the past and future of ConservationNEXT. 

By a vote of the group's 160 member companies, The Conservation Alliance made donations to 17 grassroots conservation organizations. Click here for a full list of the grants.

"The Conservation Alliance wraps up our largest year of funding by supporting another great collection of conservation projects," said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. "We continue to work collectively to save the wild lands and waterways that are so important to the outdoor industry."

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 Alaska, Oregon, California, Utah, and Montana; protect wild rivers in Washington, Utah, and Canada; protect private wildlands in Tennessee, New York, Maine, Oregon, and California; and preserve quiet winter recreation opportunities in Oregon, Montana, and Wyoming.

Each project was first nominated for funding by a Conservation Alliance member company.

This is the second and final grant disbursement The Conservation Alliance has made in 2008.

"In challenging economic times, we met our goal of contributing $900,000 in 2008," said Sterling. "That's a significant investment in protecting our wild places."

Consevation Alliance member Black Diamond Equipment Ltd., a global leader in the climbing and freeride ski markets, announced continued support of local non-profit groups that are active in defending the environment. Black Diamond's efforts include manpower and financial support of Save Our Canyons, Friends of Alta, High Uintas Preservation Council, Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Rivers, SUWA, Utah Nature Conservancy and Summit Land Conservancy.

"On a national scale BD has always been active in partnering with groups such as the Access Fund, American Alpine Club and the Conservation Alliance," explains CEO Peter Metcalf. "For the past few years we have deepened our financial backing to diverse local groups with a common mission - that of championing and protecting access and preservation of wild lands. This is key for BD as we want to drive tangible impact on our immediate recreational areas."

It's always great to see our members steppin up on the local level!

 

Two weeks ago, we posted information about an historic opportunity to protect three million acres of public land, and 1000 miles of rivers in the US. To recap: the Senate is considering a large package of roughly 150 separate bills that would designate new Wilderness areas in Oregon, California, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, and West Virginia. The package would also protect rivers in Oregon and Wyoming, and prohibit new oil and gas development in the Wyoming Range. Click here for a detailed summary.

The status of that legislation -- now called Senate Amendment 5662 -- has been hard to pin down. We had hoped the Senate would vote on the bill this week, but the economic crisis pushed it aside. New hope for the legislation emerged last night when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced on the Senate floor that the Senate will hold a "lame duck" session after the election, the week of November 17. Said Reid, "One thing we are going to move is a lands package."

Though far from a sure thing, this news keeps the package alive. And it keeps alive hopes that we will celebrate a huge conservation victory before the end of the year.

Stay tuned!

 

Our friends at Ahnu Footwear will donate up to $10,000 to The Conservation Alliance as the charter outdoor industry sponsor of the Plus 3 Network, a free web-based community that challenges Americans to record and earn rewards for their exercise miles. Click here for the full story.
 

The Conservation Alliance Breakfast at the January 2009 Outdoor Retailer Show will feature guest speaker Steven Kazlowski, renowned wildlife photographer known for his intimate look into the world of the polar bear, and how that world is being impacted by global warming.

During the last eight years, Kazlowski has accumulated a comprehensive and unparalleled portfolio of the polar bear in its wild habitat. During his presentation, he will share his stunning images and observations and talk about the challenges and thrill of photographing in the Arctic. Kazlowski will also discuss what every citizen can do to make a difference in the global warming crisis.

Click here for complete information.

 

Caving to a veto threat by President Bush, House Democrats will not attempt to extend the 26-year moratorium on offshore oil drilling by attaching such an extension to legislation that will fund the US government into March, 2009.

According to the New York Times:

"Eliminating the drilling restrictions will have no immediate consequences since leasing would take place through a long Interior Department process. But it will leave the future of offshore drilling to the next administration."

Responding to the historic shift, Representative David Obey, the Wisconsin Democrat who chairs the House Appropriations Committee said, "That will mean, very frankly, this next election will decide what our drilling policy is going to be."

Given that the moratorium could easily be reinstated by the next administration, it's difficult to say how this will impact the work or Conservation Alliance grantees fighting offshore oil development. It is significant, though, that for the first time in 26 years, Congress appears likely to lift the moratorium.

Click here for the full story.

 

Pam Miller from the Northern Alaska Environmental Council sent us a report that the group has succeeded in delaying a proposed land swap that would transfer 110,000 acres, and subsurface drilling rights inside Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to Doyon, Ltd. The lands in question are believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves. Doyon had hope that the land swap would be complete in 2008, and under the Bush Administration. The delay postpones the swap for at least one year. Following the release of an environmental impact statement in January, the US Fish and Wildlife Service received 100,000 public comments, 80 percent of which opposed the land swap. NAEC will continue its effort to halt the land swap and subsequent oil development. The Conservation Alliance supported NAEC's efforts with a grant in April.

Click here for the full story.

 

The US Senate is likely to vote on a package of public lands legislation the week of September 22 that would permanently protect 3 million acres of public land and 1000 miles of rivers throughout the US. The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2008 (S.3213) contains more dozens of bipartisan provisions, including Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River designations for special places in Oregon, California, Idaho, Colorado. Wyoming, Virginia, and West Virginia. Before these wildland-protection campaigns took legislative form, The Conservation Alliance supported local, grassroots organizations for their efforts to demonstrate that the places should be protected. Click here to see a complete overview of the special places that would be protected.

If you support this effort, your Congressional representatives need to hear from you! Click here to send a message to your elected officials.

Our good friends at Timex continue to produce excellent short films as part of their Return to the Outdoors promotion. Each film starts with a nice PSA about The Conservation Alliance. Check out the most recent film featuring climber and occasional Conservation Alliance spokes-comedian, Timmy O'Neill. I also recommend scrolling down to check out the outtakes from the film. Viewer discretion advised.

The official Timmy O'Neill Return to the Outdoors film:

The outtakes:

Conservation Alliance Executive Director John Sterling testified on September 11 before a Subcommittee of the US House of Representatives in support of legislation that would protect the tributary streams of the Lower Rogue River in Oregon under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

The Oregon Treasures Act of 2008, introduced by Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio, would designate 143 miles of rivers in the Rogue watershed as Wild and Scenic. The protections would safeguard the streams from any dams or diversions, and would prohibit logging within one-half mile in either direction of the streams.

"The Conservation Alliance supports the effort to secure new protections for the Rogue River because it is good for business," said Sterling in his testimony. "The Rogue is an iconic recreation destination, and the Oregon Treasures Act will protect the entire watershed of the Lower Rogue."

The Rogue is among Oregon's most beloved rivers, and is one of the premier fishing and boating streams in the county. Congress recognized this fact in 1968 when it included 84.5 miles the Rogue River as one of the first eight units of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Whitewater boating on the Wild Rogue supports 225 jobs, and generates $14 million in total economic output.

The Conservation Alliance made a grant to Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center in 2007 to help the organization build local support for new protections for the Rogue. That grassroots organizing motivated Rep. DeFazio to introduce the Oregon Treasures legislation.

"These watersheds are threatened by proposed logging," said Sterling. "We know that the Rogue watershed has greater and more long-term economic value for recreation than for timber."

 

A group of four Conservation Alliance members traveled to Washington DC to talk to members of the Congress about the importance of a proposal to protect more than 2 million acres of public land and more than 1000 miles of rivers.

Representatives from The North Face, Osprey, The Forest Group, and The Conservation Alliance spent two days in meetings with 13 House and Senate offices to show support for a legislative package that includes more than 150 public lands bills. Included in the package are proposals to:

• Protect 128,000 acres of Wilderness and 80 miles of rivers on Oregon's Mount Hood
• Designate 250,000 acres in Rocky Mountain National Park as Wilderness
• Secure Wild and Scenic River designation for 440 miles of streams in Wyoming's Snake River headwaters
• Prohibit new oil and gas leases on 1.2 million acres of the Wyoming Range
• Protect 92,000 acres of public land in West Virginia and Virginia
• Protect more than 600,000 acres of Wilderness in California's Eastern Sierra, White Mountains, and desert regions.
• Preserve the Badlands and Spring Basin, 40,000 acres of desert wilderness in Oregon

 

"This package of bills represents a nationwide conservation agenda," said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance Executive Director. "Our members understand that protected public lands are important to the future of the outdoor industry."

The proposal could go to the Senate floor for a vote the week of September 22. If it passes, it will then be up to the House to consider the legislation before Congress adjourns in early October to prepare for the November 4 election.

"We hope Congress takes action on this historic legislation before the elections," said Sterling. "Each provision in the bill has broad, bipartisan support, which voters will appreciate."

Before these wildland-protection campaigns took legislative form, The Conservation Alliance supported local, grassroots organizations for their efforts to demonstrate that the places should be protected. Whenever possible, the Alliance supplements funding with efforts by our member companies to voice business support for conservation efforts.

"We have invested our members' dues heavily in these conservation efforts, and hope to show an ROI by the end of the year," said Sterling.

Trip participants were Brook Shinsky (The North Face), Megan Waterman (Osprey), Deanna Kavanaugh-Jones (The Forest Group), and Sterling.

Conservation Alliance member Ben Moon recently produced a music video for musician Micah Wolf. The song and video focus on the proliferation of trash dumping in our oceans. Great song, great video. Check it out!

Endurance athlete Terri Schneider will be one of 30 invited athletes who will participate in Racing the Planet: The Last Desert, November 24-December 4, 2008. And she will be running to raise money for The Conservation Alliance.
 
As the windiest and most frigid continent, Antarctica is the largest desert in the world. The Last Desert adventure will begin in Ushuaia, Argentina where athletes will travel two days by ship across the perilous Drake Passage. For 6 days and a total of 155 miles they will run at several locations on Antarctica and its outlying islands.

Note from Terri:

For most of my life I've sought adventure, physical duress and travel to far off wild places and the virtue that comes with these types of life choices. I've also witnessed the fragility of the planet and my time to give back is long overdue.  For my inaugural fundraising efforts I'll be raising money for The Conservation Alliance and it feels great!   I'll be running 155 miles on one of the harshest continents on the planet - Antarctica.  "I'm psyched at the prospect of running in Antarctica to raise funds to support the wild places YOU love back home. Help me support this critical cause (and get a well deserved tax deduction)!"

Join me! for Racing Antarctica, my fundraiser for The Conservation Alliance.

To follow Terri's adventure, check out http://terrischneider.net/events/html/antarctica.html

 

Winter Wildlands Alliance reports the following on their effort to limit winter motorized recreation in Yellowstone National Park:

"A federal court ruled today that the Bush Administration's decision authorizing snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park violates the fundamental legal responsibility of the National Park Service to protect the clean air, wildlife, and natural quiet of national parks, including Yellowstone, for the benefit of all visitors. The court found that the Administration authorized snowmobile use despite scientific conclusions by the National Park Service that its decision would result in significant increases in noise and unhealthy exhaust, which disrupt the experiences of visitors, and traffic that harms Yellowstone's wildlife, including bison."

Click here to read the full press release.

Renowned writer and global warming activist electrified the audience at The Conservation Alliance Breakfast in August. McKibben spoke passionately about the threats of global warming, and offered hope by focusing on the efforts of his new organization www.350.org.  As always, our friends at SNEWS produced a podcast of the speech, which you may check out at http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/12764.html. Check it out if you missed the breakfast, or if you want to hear it again!  Thank you to Michael Hodgson and James Mills at SNEWS for their work in capturing our Breakfast speakers presentations.

Hello NEXTers,

I just participated in International Rivers' letter writing campaign to protect the Baker and Pascua rivers in Patagonia, southern Chile from 5 large hydroelectric dams.

You have the chance to help protect Patagonia, too.  This is another opportunity for your voice to be heard.  As a collective, many voices standing together, ConservationNEXT will make an impact.  Be sure to check out the Action Alerts posted to NEXTers to get involved and speak up about other pressing issues.

You can find more information at the following links:

1) http://internationalrivers.org/en/latin-america/patagonia 

2) http://www.internationalrivers.org/en/action

3) http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Rivers/16387505591

Best,

Krissy

A lot of people have asked me for details on both Barack Obama and John McCain's positions on the environment. In an election year, it can be difficult to get a straight answer on anything. In my fairly limited experience, an Administration's impact on the environment and our public lands is largely determined by the people the President appoints to key positions at EPA, Interior, and the land management agencies (BLM, Forest Service, Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service). It's too early to tell who these appointees might be, but Greenwire recently published a good account of who is advising the respective campaigns on environmental issues. Check it out.

http://www.earthportal.org/news/?p=1569

 

Rod Bien, owner of Pandora's Backpack, a retail store in Bend, OR, and Conservation Alliance member company, joined other business leaders in Bend to talk about the economic benefits of Wilderness designation for the Badlands. The Badlands is a 30,000-acre wildland near Bend that Alliance grantee Oregon Natural Desert Association is working to protect. Nice work, Rod! Check it out:

http://kohd.com/page/37889

 

Twelve outdoor industry companies have joined The Conservation Alliance since the January OR Show. With a steady increase in membership, the Alliance now boasts 160 companies.

The new members are: Backcountry.com; Chuckanut 50K Race; earcomm; Eco-X, Inc.; Headsweats; Hotwax Media; Naukabout; Quick Feat International; Repreve by Unifi; Schoeller Textil, USA; Solstice; and The Active Marketing Group.

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 is on track to donate $900,000 in 2008.

"Threats to our wild places continue to grow," said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance Executive Director. "It's great to see outdoor businesses stepping up to support the conservation efforts that are important to our industry."

Building on a partnership launched in 2005, KEEN Footwear will match the first year's dues of any company that joins the Conservation Alliance in 2008. With the new additions, KEEN has thus far matched $403,900 in new member dues since June, 2005.

New members include manufacturers, retailers, factories, mills, endurance races, and public affairs agencies.

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

The Conservation Alliance is psyched about a promotion we are doing with Timex called "Return to the Outdoors". Timex has produced three short films that profile well-know outdoor folks talking about the places that are special to them. The first two films feature Conservation Alliance board member Conrad Anker and rockclimber Steph Davis. The most recent profiles Alliance co-founder and Patagonia owner Yvon Chouinard. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrYa3qkeu-I

Our friends at the Campaign for America's Wilderness distribute an excellent monthly update on efforts to secure new Wilderness designations on public lands throughout the US. The Conservation Alliance has supported many grassroots organizations working at the local level to win these important protections, which safeguard our public lands from logging, mining, oil and gas development, and motorized vehicle use. The US Senate is currently considering a package of public lands legislation that would protect more than 1 million acres of land and 1000 miles of rivers. For a quick update, check out:

 http://www.leaveitwild.org/news/newsletter/issue/2008-07/featured_organization

 

WaterWatch, a recent Conservation Alliance grantee, has been working collaboratively with local, state and federal officials to restore the Rogue River -- one of Oregon's premiere whitewater and salmon/steelhead streams -- by removing four dams on the stream. The first of those dams -- the Elk Creek Diversion --  was removed on July 16. Check out the video at:

Thanks to everyone who helped launch ConservationNEXT at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake last weekend. The party was a hoot, and it was great to see so much interest in building an online social network focused on grassroots conservation work.

The ConservationNEXT site will continue to evolve. We now have more than 100 NEXTers, and expect many more once people return from the trade show. Our grantees are regularly posting project updates and action alerts to keep you all informed and active in their conservation work. We challenge everyone to respond to at least one action alert per week. Better yet, make a commitment to respond to every action alert posted on the site.

We will use this blog to post basic information and commentary about pressing conservation issues. There's a lot going on out there, and we plan to be a one-stop information source for you all.

In the coming weeks we will add features to the site that will allow NEXTers to communicate with each other through the site. We'll also post the photos we took at the launch event. So please stay tuned and stay active!

-John Sterling

Over the past several years, The Conservation Alliance has made a conscious effort to support campaigns to secure new Wilderness designations on public lands throughout the US. Many of these campaigns are now in legislative form, and moving through Congress. Click here for an update on this package of public lands bills.

Welcome to ConservationNEXT!  As a collective we have been working together for over a year to bring you ConservationNEXT.com.  So surf the site, make us your friends, invite your other friends from the real and virtual worlds, and share your thoughts and ideas with us and with the rest of the ConservationNEXT community. 

Non-profit organizations funded by Conservation Alliance grants have helped populate this site so that you can get involved in their grassroots work.  Endorse your favorites so that you’ll be updated on their action alerts, and visit often to learn about more non-profit partners. Join our community, connect with friends, and share your thoughts on conservation and places you care about.

This site will grow and evolve, adding more functionality and creating even more opportunities to connect with each other and with volunteer opportunities.  Get involved, and help us make this the social networking site of the conservation minded.

- ConservationNEXT Board,

Liz, Brook, Berne, Deanna & Krissy 

Filson, a leading outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor enthusiasts, has committed $25,000 to The Conservation Alliance Legacy Fund, which the company will raise through proceeds from its annual "Seconds Sale," held at the company's Seattle distribution center.  With Filson's gift, The Conservation Alliance has raised nearly $2.7 million in contributions and commitments.  That total includes $800,000 raised after the campaign was announced at the January Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.

 "We have seen the outstanding results of The Conservation Alliance's work to protect and preserve natural wildlife habitats in every corner of our country and are indebted to them for their relentless commitment," said Filson CEO Bill Kulczycki. "Given that Filson's over 100-year heritage is rooted in the outdoors, we see it as one of our primary responsibilities to also serve as stewards for a healthy environment."

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 with $1.9 million in initial commitments from The North Face, REI, Merrell, Dansko, Patagonia, CamelBak, and former board president Menno van Wyk.

Since January, additional commitments have come in from Eastern Mountain Sports ($500,000), Tom and Sonya Campion ($100,000), Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd. ($50,000), Waypoint Outdoor ($10,000), The Forest Group ($5,000), Kirk Richardson ($5,000), and the Gracie Charitable Foundation ($25,500).

"We are honored to have Filson's support for the Legacy Fund," said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. "Conservation first took root in the U.S. because hunters and anglers recognized that healthy habitat meant healthy fish and game populations. With this gift, Filson is carrying on that tradition of protecting wild lands and rivers where fish and wildlife thrive."

The Conservation Alliance will continue to meet with member companies to solicit contributions to the Legacy Fund. At the same time, the Alliance encourages individuals in the outdoor industry to make gifts.

"With roughly $800,000 to go toward reaching our goal, we plan to pull out all the stops," said Sterling. "The Conservation Alliance is a community of companies and individuals, and we want everyone to play a role in ensuring our future."

Since launching the Legacy Fund Campaign in January, The Conservation Alliance has raised nearly $2.7 million in contributions and commitments. That total includes $800,000 raised after the campaign was announced at the January Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.

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 with $1.9 million in initial commitments from The North Face, REI, Merrell, Dansko, Patagonia, CamelBak, and former board president Menno van Wyk.

Since January, commitments have come in from Eastern Mountain Sports ($500,000), Tom and Sonya Campion ($100,000), Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd. ($50,000), Filson ($25,000), Waypoint Outdoor ($10,000), The Forest Group ($5,000), Kirk Richardson ($5,000), Dave Knutson ($2,000), the Gracie Charitable Foundation ($25,500), and an anonymous donor ($25,000).

"With these recent commitments, we are on track to meet our $3.5-million goal by August 2009, our 20th Anniversary," said Executive Director John Sterling. "Our members have risen to a steep challenge because they want The Conservation Alliance to be a permanent force in the outdoor industry."

The Conservation Alliance was founded in 1989 as an all-volunteer organization with no operational expenses. Since adding staff in 2004, Alliance membership has more than doubled, and annual contributions to conservation projects has increased from $360,000 to $900,000.

"We've proven that with a modest investment in operations, we can make a much greater contribution to the conservation of our wild lands and rivers," said Sterling. "With the Legacy Fund, we will ensure that our members' annual dues always go into our grant fund."

The Conservation Alliance will continue to meet with member companies to solicit contributions to the Legacy Fund. At the same time, the Alliance encourages individuals in the outdoor industry to make gifts.

"With roughly $800,000 to go toward reaching our goal, we plan to pull out all the stops," said Sterling. "The Conservation Alliance is a community of companies and individuals, and we want everyone to play a role in ensuring our future."

Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd. has committed $50,000 to The Conservation Alliance Legacy Fund. With the climbing manufacturer's gift, The Conservation Alliance has raised more than $2.6 million in contributions and commitments. That total includes $700,000 raised after the campaign was announced at the January Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.

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 with $1.9 million in initial commitments from The North Face, REI, Merrell, Dansko, Patagonia, CamelBak, and former board president Menno van Wyk.

 "Since its founding in 1989 The Conservation Alliance has proven to be an ever more important source of critical funding for local groups that are fighting for the future of the natural systems that are so integral to our humanity," said Peter Metcalf, co-founder and CEO of Black Diamond. "Black Diamond was founded, in part, for very similar reasons. It is a true pleasure for the employee owners of Black Diamond to be able to make this $50,000 pledge to the Legacy Fund."

Since January, additional commitments have come in from Eastern Mountain Sports ($500,000), Tom and Sonya Campion ($100,000), Waypoint Outdoor ($10,000), The Forest Group ($5,000) and the Gracie Charitable Foundation ($25,500).

"With these recent commitments, we are on track to meet our $3.5-million goal by August 2009, our 20th Anniversary," said Executive Director John Sterling. "Our members have risen to a steep challenge because they want The Conservation Alliance to be a permanent force in the outdoor industry."

The Conservation Alliance was founded in 1989 as an all-volunteer organization with no operational expenses. Since adding staff in 2004, Alliance membership has more than doubled, and annual contributions to conservation projects has increased from $360,000 to $900,000.

"We've proven that with a modest investment in operations, we can make a much greater contribution to the conservation of our wild lands and rivers," said Sterling. "With the Legacy Fund, we will ensure that our members' annual dues always go into our grant fund."

The Conservation Alliance will continue to meet with member companies to solicit contributions to the Legacy Fund. At the same time, the Alliance encourages individuals in the outdoor industry to make gifts.

"With roughly $900,000 to go toward reaching our goal, we plan to pull out all the stops," said Sterling. "The Conservation Alliance is a community of companies and individuals, and we want everyone to play a role in ensuring our future."

The Conservation Alliance membership elected Adam Chamberlain, Director of Marketing for Black Diamond Equipment, and Gareth Martins, Director of Marketing for Osprey Packs to serve on the Alliance board of directors.

Both Martins and Chamberlain bring a deep commitment to conservation to their new board roles. Martins has guided Osprey's regular participation in conservation efforts, and has played a key role in integrating sustainability into the company's culture and ethic.

"I am thrilled to have been chosen to serve alongside the outstanding individuals that make up the Conservation Alliance board," said Martins. "I am eager to learn and work on behalf of the incredible organizations the Alliance funds."

Chamberlain, prior to his roles at Patagonia and now at Black Diamond, spent several months surveying Nevada's public lands for potential new wilderness areas. This effort contributed to the permanent protection of the Black Rock Desert in 2001.

"Fire. The Wheel. Tang. The Conservation Alliance. Through innovative leadership that marshals the best conservation instincts of the outdoor industry, the Alliance has built tremendous momentum and a track record of partnership in the safeguarding of wild places," said Chamberlain. " I am stoked to have the opportunity to add my energy and enthusiasm to the Board's efforts."

"We are excited to have such great additions to the Alliance board," said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance executive director. "Gareth and Adam bring great passion and experience that will help guide our efforts to protect our last wild places."

A record eight people ran for the two open board seats.

"It's an honor to have such strong interest in board service," said Sterling. "It shows that conservation is an important priority for our industry."

Chamberlain and Martins will fill the seats vacated by outgoing directors Dave Knutson (Chaco) and Gary Smith (Timberland).

"Dave and Gary made enormous contributions to The Conservation Alliance during a time of spectacular growth and evolution," said Sterling. "Adam and Gareth have big shoes to fill!"

Chamberlain and Martins' two-year terms begin in August.

The Conservation Alliance launched a new initiative this week, with MSN, to draw attention to Alliance member companies for their collective effort to protect wild lands and waterways throughout North America.

MSN Green (http://green.msn.com/) now features a full page about The Conservation Alliance. The page provides links to each manufacturer and retailer in the membership, and encourages readers to support those companies.

"We are always working to raise awareness of the significant commitment our member companies have made to saving special wild places," said Krissy Moehl, Program Associate at The Conservation Alliance, who orchestrated the project. "We're thrilled that MSN recognizes that our collective effort is meaningful."

To view The Conservation Alliance page on MSN Green, please click http://green.msn.com/Shopping/shop.aspx?sid=406.

The Conservation Alliance will launch a new initiative called ConservationNEXT, which is designed to give individuals in the outdoor industry the opportunity to engage with Conservation Alliance grantees, and provide a place to connect with each other on-line. The ConservationNEXT site will officially go live on August 8, 2008 at the Outdoor Retailer show. Conservationnext.com will be the focal point of the Alliance’s effort to encourage individual involvement in conservation efforts. Conservation NEXT was inspired by a challenge posed by writer Terry Tempest Williams, who spoke at a Conservation Alliance event in 2007. She asked all members of the crowd to consider, “What are you doing to continue the legacy of conservation?” A group of five committed people answered Williams’ call to action, and founded ConservationNext, dedicated to creating the next generation of environmental stewards.  “ConservationNEXT will let us build a community of people within the outdoor industry who want to become more actively involved in the work of The Conservation Alliance and our grantees,” said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. “This is a beautiful example of how a small group of passionate advocates can widen the concern of their hearts in the name of all that is wild,” said Williams after hearing about the response to her challenge. “The next generation of leaders is now ConservationNEXT. They inspire me and I know they will inspire others. I cannot wait to see how they will take their concerns and put them into creative actions on behalf of America's wildlands.” “I remember wanting to but not knowing how to get more involved in conservation, and The Conservation Alliance,” recalled Brook Shinsky, ConservationNEXT board member and Visual Merchandising Coordinator at The North Face. “ConservationNEXT lets everyone contribute and participate.” People who join the online community – NEXTers – will create personal profiles highlighting their conservation commitments. The site will also feature profiles of Conservation Alliance grantees, which will provide updates and action alerts designed to keep the community more engaged in their work. A blog hosted by leaders in the conservation movement will add daily news and opinion to the content mix.  “Social networking offers a new channel of communication, a platform for activism, and it provides a virtual meeting space,” said Teva Global Promotions Manager and ConservationNEXT board member Liz Ferrin.  “It’s the new word of mouth – you can hear from 100 friends at once about what’s inspiring them, and what’s new and notable in their communities. Conservation NEXT will be a direct and continuous line of communication between outdoor industry professionals, focused around conservation.” To officially launch the site, ConservationNEXT will host a Booth Crawl at the OR show on Saturday, August 9. Roving happy hour revelers will meet at Osprey at 4 PM to pick up mugs and t-shirts, and share a conservation resolution. They will move to CamelBak and Patagonia at 4:30 PM, to Teva at 5 PM, and roll into The North Face at 5:30 PM. Each booth will host a different Conservation Alliance grantee, which will ask participants to take action at the booth to help their cause.  “The potential for ConservationNEXT to involve a significant number of people both on-line and in-the-field in conservation projects is great,” said ConservationNEXT board member Berne Broudy, Green Editor at Backpacker Magazine. “Between the boundless energy of this board, and the nature of viral marketing, the impacts of this initiative could be bigger than any of us foresee.”  Additional ConservationNEXT founding board members include: Deanna Kavanaugh-Jones from The Forest Group, and Krissy Moehl from The Conservation Alliance. “We are fortunate to have such a dedicated core of volunteers bringing ConservationNEXT to life,” said Sterling. “We’re excited to watch the community grow, and bring more voices to bear on the important conservation issues we face.” For more information, please visit conservationnext.com, or contact Krissy Moehl, krissy@conservationalliance.com, (541) 389-2424.  About the Conservation Alliance:The Conservation Alliance is an organization of 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. Membership in the Alliance is open to companies representing all aspects of the outdoor industry, including manufacturers, retailers, publishers, mills and sales representatives. The result is a diverse group of businesses whose livelihood depends on protecting our natural environment. Since its inception in 1989, the Alliance has contributed more than $6.5 million to grassroots environmental groups. Alliance funding has helped save over 39 million acres of wildlands; 26 dams have either been stopped or removed; and the group helped preserve access to more than 16,000 miles of waterways and several climbing areas.  

For complete information on the Conservation Alliance, see www.conservationalliance.com

A group of four Conservation Alliance members traveled to Washington DC to talk to members of the US Senate about the importance of a proposal to protect more than 2 million acres of public land and nearly 1000 miles of rivers.

Representatives from KEEN, Cloudveil, Outdoor Industry Association, and The Conservation Alliance spent two days in meetings with 12 Senate offices to show support for S. 3213, a legislative package that includes more than 100 public lands bills. Included in the package are proposals to:

• Protect 128,000 acres of Wilderness and 80 miles of rivers on Oregon’s Mount Hood
• Designate 250,000 acres in Rocky Mountain National Park as Wilderness
• Secure Wild and Scenic River designation for 440 miles of streams in Wyoming’s Snake River headwaters
• Prohibit new oil and gas leases on 1.2 million acres of the Wyoming Range
• Protect 92,000 acres of public land in West Virginia and Virginia

“This is an historic piece of legislation that would save special wild places throughout the US,” said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance Executive Director. “Our members understand that protected public lands are important to the future of the outdoor industry.”

The proposal could go to the Senate floor for a vote before the end of July. Several provisions in the bill have already passed the House of Representatives, while others still need to move through that chamber.

“Whether in July or at the end of the Congressional session, we have reason to hope that these protections will be enacted in 2008,” said Sterling. “And that would be a lot to celebrate.”

Trip participants were Linda Tom (KEEN), Jeff Wogoman (Cloudveil), Amy Roberts (OIA), and Sterling.

The Conservation Alliance sent checks totaling $450,000 to 17 organizations working to protect wild places throughout North America. The donations marked the Alliance’s first disbursal of funding for 2008, and represent the largest single funding round in the organization’s history. This round brings total giving to $6.5 million since the organization’s founding in 1989

By a vote of the group’s 155 member companies, The Conservation Alliance made donations to 17 grassroots conservation organizations as follows:

Organization (Location)                                      Amount
American Whitewater (Cullowhee, NC)                  $25,000
Appalachian Mountain Club (Boston, MA) & Trust for Public Land (Montpelier, VT)  $30,000
Audubon Alaska (Anchorage, AK)  $30,000
Campaign to Save the Roan Plateau (Carbondale, CO)  $20,000
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (Ottawa, ON)  $30,000
Cascade Land Conservancy (Seattle, WA)  $30,000
Colorado Mountain Club (Carbondale, CO)  $20,000
Colorado Wild (Durango, CO)  $20,000
Conservation Northwest (Bellingham, WA)  $25,000
Greater Yellowstone Coalition (Bozeman, MT)  $30,000
Idaho Conservation League (Boise, ID)  $20,000
Northern Alaska Environmental Center (Fairbanks, AK)  $30,000
Oregon Natural Desert Association (Bend, OR)  $30,000
Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition (Asheville, NC)  $30,000
Trout Unlimited/Alaska (Juneau, AK)  $30,000
WaterWatch of Oregon (Portland, OR)  $25,000
West Virginia Wilderness Coalition (Morgantown, WV)  $25,000 
                                                                    Total $450,000

“We are proud to once again make the largest grant disbursal in our history,” said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. “Our member companies continue to recognize that protected wild places are important to the outdoor industry.”

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 West Virginia, Tennessee, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon; protect wild rivers in Colorado, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington; halt oil and gas development on public lands in Wyoming and Colorado; protect private forest lands in Maine; and expand park boundaries in Canada.

Each project was first nominated for funding by a Conservation Alliance member company.

“Our members do a terrific job identifying projects for funding,” said Sterling.

This is the first grant disbursement The Conservation Alliance has made in 2008. The Alliance plans a second $450,000 funding cycle in October.

“We are on track to contribute $900,000 in 2008,” said Sterling. “That’s a significant investment in protecting our wild places.”

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF GRANTS

1. American Whitewater (Cullowhee, NC): Colorado Stewardship Program to protect and restore water flows in streams throughout Colorado.

2. Appalachian Mountain Club/Trust for Public Land-Vermont (Montpelier, VT): Mahoosuc Campaign to protect key natural and recreational areas in the Mahoosuc region of New Hampshire and Maine.

3. Audubon Alaska (Anchorage, AK): Alaska Conservation Program to build support to protect key Alaska wildlands including the Tongass National Forest and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

4. Campaign to Save Roan Plateau (Carbondale, CO): Oil & Gas Development Campaign to protect the public lands on Colorado’s Roan Plateau.

5. Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society (Ottawa, ON): Nahanni Forever Campaign to protect the 7-million-acre South Nahanni River Watershed in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

6.  Cascade Land Conservancy (Seattle, WA): Boulder Falls Acquisition Campaign to protect Boulder Falls on Washington State’s Boulder River, a site threatened by a proposed hydroelectric dam.

7. Colorado Mountain Club (Carbondale, CO): ORV Management Plan Campaign to secure a network of non-motorized recreation designations on public lands throughout Colorado.

8. Colorado Wild (Durango, CO): Wolf Creek Pass Development Campaign to protect key habitat in the Southern Rockies from a proposed development on Wolf Creek Pass.

9. Conservation Northwest (Bellingham, WA): Columbia Highlands Initiative to protect 350,000 acres of wilderness, and restore 300,000 acres of forests in Eastern Washington.

10. Greater Yellowstone Coalition (Bozeman, MT): Wyoming Range Campaign to protect the 1.2-million-acre Wyoming Range from proposed oil and gas development.

11. Idaho Conservation League (Boise, ID): Boulder-White Clouds Wilderness Campaign to protect 320,000 acres of wildlands in central Idaho’s Boulder-White Clouds Mountains.

12. Northern Alaska Environmental Center (Fairbanks, AK): Yukon Flats Refuge Campaign to protect three areas in Alaska’s Yukon from oil development.

13. Oregon Natural Desert Association (Bend, OR): Badlands Wilderness Campaign to secure Wilderness designation for 30,000 acres of desert wildlands in central Oregon.

14. Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition (Asheville, NC): Tennessee Wilderness Campaign to permanently protect 18,000 acres of public land in Tennessee’s Cherokee National Forest.

15. Trout Unlimited Alaska Program (Juneau, AK): Pebble Mine Campaign to protect the Bristol Bay watershed from a proposed open-pit gold-copper mine in the bay’s headwaters.

16. WaterWatch of Oregon (Portland, OR): Free the Rogue Campaign to remove Savage Rapids Dam and other barriers to fish passage and river recreation on Oregon’s Rogue River.

17. West Virginia Wilderness Coalition (Morgantown, WV): Wild Monongahela Wilderness Campaign to protect more than 70,000 acres of public land in the Monongahela National Forest.

Conservation Alliance members with Rep. Mary Bono Mack whose proposal would protect 190,000 acres in California.

A group of four Conservation Alliance members traveled to Washington DC to talk to members of Congress about the importance of securing new Wilderness designations in Southern California.

Representatives from The North Face, Eagle Creek, Outdoor Industry Association, and The Conservation Alliance spent two days in meetings with 16 Congressional offices to show support for legislation that would protect 192,000 acres of federal land in Riverside County. The California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act would add nearly 80,000 acres to the Joshua Tree National Park Wilderness, and protect 31 miles of desert rivers as Wild and Scenic.

The Conservation Alliance organized the trip in conjunction with the California Wild Heritage Campaign (www.californiawild.org) a recent Conservation Alliance grant recipient.

“This effort would protect iconic wild places in Southern California,” said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance Executive Director. “These lands are within two hours of 22 million people. Our members recognize the importance of preserving these frontcountry recreational destinations.”

Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Mary Bono Mack have teamed up to shepherd the legislation through Congress. All of the lands are in Rep. Bono Mack’s Congressional district.

The Conservation Alliance has 27 member companies based in California, most of which have endorsed protection for these Riverside County areas. Trip participants included Conrad Anker (The North Face), Adam Ziegelman (Eagle Creek), Todd Keller (Outdoor Industry Association), and Sterling.

 

The Conservation Alliance Breakfast at the August 2008 Outdoor Retailer Show will feature guest speaker Bill McKibben, a revered author whose work spans the topics of global warming, alternative energy, and sustainable economies. The breakfast, which is open to the public, is Saturday, August  9, 7:00-9:00 AM at The Marriott in Salt Lake City.

McKibben is a renowned author, educator, and environmentalist. In 1989, he published The End of Nature, the first book about climate change written for a general audience. He has since published more than a dozen books, and hundreds of essays and articles about global warming, alternative energy, and sustainable economies.  In 2007, McKibben published Deep Economy: the Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, a book that addresses shortcomings of the growth economy and envisions a transition to more local-scale enterprise.

“Bill McKibben has been prescient voice for more than 20 years,” said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. “I can’t think of a better time to have him address The Conservation Alliance Breakfast, and share his thoughts on how we can navigate the challenges we – and our shared environment – face.”

In late summer 2006, Bill helped lead a five-day walk across Vermont to demand action on global warming, and later founded stepitup2007.org to demand that Congress enact curbs on carbon emissions that would cut global warming pollution 80 percent by 2050. Based on his experience with Step It Up, McKibben published  Fight Global Warming Now, a guide to help people initiate environmental activism in their community.

“Bill is so much more than an author, as he supplements his writing with meaningful citizen action,” added Sterling. “In so doing, he literally walks the talk, and our world is better for it.”

Bill is a frequent contributor to various magazines including The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, Orion Magazine, Mother Jones, The New York Review of Books, Granta, Rolling Stone, and Outside. He is also a board member and contributor to Grist Magazine.

In addition to McKibben’s talk, The Conservation Alliance Breakfast will feature an update on recent Alliance grantees and conservation successes funded by the Alliance. The Conservation Alliance Breakfast is open to the public. For complete information, see http://www.conservationalliance.com/UserFiles/File/CABreakfastWeb.pdf.

Eastern Mountain Sports has committed to contribute $500,000 to The Conservation Alliance Legacy Fund over the course of the next five years. The pledge brings the Alliance closer to its $3.5-million goal for the Legacy Fund.

Eastern Mountain Sports’ commitment comes in the wake of the Alliance’s January announcement that the organization will build the Legacy Fund to ensure a permanent source of funding for current operational expenses. The Conservation Alliance contributes 100 percent of each member’s annual dues to conservation projects, and must raise operational costs separately.

“Eastern Mountain Sports has made a strong investment in the future of The Conservation Alliance,” said John Sterling, Executive Director. “By pledging $500,000, the company is also pledging that conservation is a core priority for the outdoor industry. It is a gift not only to the Alliance, but also to future outdoor industry customers who value protected wild places.”

The New Hampshire-based retailer is a long-time Conservation Alliance member, joining in 1997. The company has recently increased its involvement in the Alliance. In 2007, Eastern Mountain Sports contributed 1 percent of sales from two Upgrade Your Gear sales to The Conservation Alliance and The Access Fund. Those promotions raised more than $30,000 for the Alliance last year.

“Eastern Mountain Sports is committed to saving wild lands and rivers for future generations,” said CEO Will Manzer. “We intend to make our partnership with The Conservation Alliance the cornerstone of our future conservation initiatives.”

The Conservation Alliance launched the Legacy Fund at the January Outdoor Retailer trade show with significant commitments and contributions from The North Face, REI, Patagonia, Kelty, Merrell, Dansko, CamelBak, The Forest Group, and former board president Menno van Wyk.

“We were already off to a great start, and with the Eastern Mountain Sports pledge we have taken a huge step toward our goal,” said Sterling.

The Conservation Alliance plans to secure contributions and commitments totaling $3.5 million by August 2009, the organization’s 20th Anniversary.

The Conservation Alliance announced a major new initiative to secure permanence for the organization, and to grow its annual grant budget. Launch of the initiative took place today at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City.

The four founding members of the Alliance – The North Face, Patagonia, REI, and Kelty – have come together around an effort to build $3.5-million endowment to cover the annual operating expenses of the organization, and to significantly increase its annual budget to fund conservation projects. The founder commitments are joined by additional pledges from CamelBak, Merrell, Dansko, KEEN, Inc., The Forest Group, and a personal donation from former board president Menno van Wyk. The heads of each founding member – Steve Rendle (The North Face), Sally Jewell (REI), Casey Sheahan (Patagonia, Inc.), and Kenny Ballard (Kelty) – participated in the announcement.

“The Conservation Alliance faces two main challenges: to increase our annual grant budget, and to secure a reliable source of funding for our operational expenses,” said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance Executive Director. “This initiative will accomplish both.” As a rule, the Alliance places 100 percent of each member’s dues into its grant budget, so the organization must raise operational funds separate from dues.

The endowment – The Conservation Alliance Legacy Fund – is underway with a $1 million commitment from The North Face, a $250,000 commitment from REI, a $500,000 commitment from Merrell, a $10,000 commitment from CamelBak, and a $100,000 contribution from Montrail founder Menno van Wyk. The Alliance will build on these early commitments by seeking contributions from member companies.

Because 100 percent of membership dues go into the Alliance’s grant fund, the organization must look elsewhere to cover operational expenses. These expenses are currently supported by additional contributions from member companies, foundation grants, and fundraising events. Once fully funded, the Legacy Fund will permanently cover the current operating expenses for the Alliance.

“The Legacy Fund will ensure that The Conservation Alliance outlives us all,” said Sterling. “As long as there is an outdoor industry, we will be here ensuring that the industry is active in the effort to protect wild places for their habitat and recreational values.”

In addition to building the Legacy Fund, Patagonia, Inc. has committed to increasing their membership dues to $100,000 annually. As with all dues, the Alliance will direct these funds into its grant budget, and use Patagonia’s commitment to launch a review of the organization’s dues structure.

“Our membership dues have not changed since 1989,” said Sterling. “With Patagonia’s commitment, we have the opportunity to update our dues structure in a way that challenges our larger members to make a greater annual contribution to our grant fund.”

A full review of the dues structure will be part of the Alliance’s 2008 strategic planning process. The Legacy Fund Campaign and the revised dues structure are slated to conclude in August, 2009, the Alliance’s 20th anniversary.

“I can think of no better way to celebrate our 20th Anniversary than to secure permanent funding for our operational expenses, and to implement a new dues structure that will enable us to fund a greater number of conservation projects,” said Sterling.

For complete information about The Conservation Alliance Legacy Fund, see www.conservationalliance.com/legacy.

A Conservation Alliance grantee, the Northeast Wilderness Trust, has successfully protected the Wapack Wilderness in New Hampshire. The 1,200-acre area contains more than a mile of the Wapack Trail, the headwaters of the Millers River, and sweeping forest views.

The Conservation Alliance supported the Wapack Wilderness Campaign with a $30,000 grant in 2006. Northeast Wilderness Trust (www.newildernesstrust.org) used Alliance support to build grassroots participation in the effort to purchase the area from the Hampshire Country School, a private boarding school that sold the property to help cover increasing operational costs.

“We are excited that the Wapack Wilderness is now permanently protected,” said John Sterling, Conservation Alliance Executive Director. “It is rare to have the opportunity to save a parcel this size in the Northeastern US.”

This victory represents the first phase of the Wapack campaign. Northeast Wilderness Trust plans to secure an additional 200 acres by the end of 2008. Once preserved, the entire 1,400-acre area will be managed as a wild forest. A stewardship endowment will support ongoing ecological assessments, and ensure a quality experience for wildlife and for Wapack Trail through-hikers.

“Northeast Wilderness Trust capably turned our support – and that of others – into a great conservation victory for New England,” said Sterling. “We hope our members are pleased with our continued success in supporting organizations that can get the job done.”