BEND, Ore. (January 26, 2023) – – The Conservation Alliance (TCA), the leading national business coalition working to conserve land and water, announced today the inaugural Conservation Alliance Summit. The Summit will create space for businesses that value outdoor spaces, community-centered conservation, and wild places to unite under a common agenda for equitable land and water conservation.
The Conservation Alliance Summit will occur on May 22-24, 2023, in Winter Park, Colorado. Created in partnership with the Next 100 Coalition, Outdoor Alliance (OA) and Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), this three day retreat will convene member company leaders and key partners to celebrate shared successes, announce annual priorities, as well as educate and empower the business community to become more effective advocates for conservation work.
“The Summit will build on our 30 years of leadership in this area and create opportunities for our members to realize the power of the collective to protect wild places and outdoor spaces,” says TCA executive director Nicole Rom. “It continues to build on the important grant making and advocacy work that is the bedrock of what we do here at TCA, galvanizing our members to realize their power and capacity for positive change. As a business-led solution to conservation issues, TCA presents a unique, commerce-focused perspective, capable of uniting different political and industry views, showcasing years of effective conservation efforts with the next generation of business leaders.”
“The protection and stewardship of our collective lands and waters must reflect the racial and cultural diversity of our nation, and demonstrate and value the myriad ways people connect to and care for the environment,” says The Next 100 Coalition executive director Chela Garcia. “With meaningful collaboration, businesses can create a more sustainable and equitable future through their actions, values, and economic contributions to our natural spaces and communities if they are empowered to act together.”
“At Outdoor Alliance, we know that public land and conservation policy is complex,” says Adam Cramer, CEO of Outdoor Alliance. “We do the hard work to effect meaningful, measurable change—building relationships with decision makers, enthusiasts, and activists to preserve trails, create new legislation, share maps, and teach others how to protect the places they care about. This Summit represents an opportunity to share knowledge and key advocacy opportunities with leaders poised to make a difference with their brands and generate real conservation results.”
“Outdoor recreation is an economic powerhouse in the United States, each year generating
$862 billion,” says Outdoor Industry Association interim executive director Kent Ebersole. “Collectively, we have the power and influence to protect the lands and waters that our communities, businesses, and environment rely on, but only if we can come together and speak in one voice. This Summit represents a chance for us to do just that, and OIA is proud to be a part of it.”
The Conservation Alliance Summit is possible thanks to sponsorship from: Peak Design, Patagonia, Keen, Bank of the West, FjallRaven, Public Lands Fund, REI, Superfeet, Osprey, Oboz, Atlantic Packaging, Toad&Co, Royal Robbins and Visit Bend. Learn more here.
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About The Conservation Alliance
The Conservation Alliance is an organization of 270 like-minded 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 North America’s rivers, trails, wildlands, and climbing areas. Membership in the Alliance is open to all companies who care about protecting our most threatened wild places for habitat and outdoor recreation. Since 1989, we have contributed more than $27,370,000 in grants to conservation organizations whose collective efforts have helped protect 73 million acres of land and 3,580 miles of rivers; stop or remove 37 dams; acquire 21 climbing areas; and designate five marine reserves. For complete information about The Conservation Alliance, visit www.conservationalliance.com.
Please direct media inquiries to Shoren Brown at shoren@conservationalliance.com
