Conservation Alliance Stewardship Event Draws 110 Outdoor Industry Volunteers

October 4, 2018

Standley Lake Regional Park benefits from 11th annual Backyard Collective event

Westminster, Colo. (October 4, 2018) – More than 110 volunteers from 12 Conservation Alliance member companies participated in the organization’s 11th Annual Backyard Collective stewardship event near Boulder, Colorado on Friday, September 28.

The volunteers worked in support of Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and The City of Westminster to plant over 300 native trees and remove several acres of invasive species throughout Standley Lake Regional Park and was the park’s largest volunteer effort.

Conservation Alliance member companies Backpacker’s Pantry, Fjallraven, Gregory, Kelty, La Sportiva, Last Exit Goods, Nite Ize, Notogroup, Outdoor Industry Association, Sierra Designs, Smartwool, and Ultimate Direction participated in the event. Though they could not attend, member company’s Clif Bar contributed bars to the event and Big Agnes and Osprey contributed raffle prizes.

“On Friday we made a difference,” said Eric Greene, Senior VP/General Manager at Kelty and a Conservation Alliance Board member. “We had the ready, willing and able people that work for our member outdoor apparel and gear manufacturers work hand in hand with grassroots conservation organizations. Everybody did their part. And together on a local level, all of these efforts made a difference.  What a rad day! And how inspiring to see our members continue to work together for the greater good!”

The mission of The Conservation Alliance is to engage businesses to fund and partner with organizations to protect wild places for their habitat and recreation values. The Conservation Alliance launched the Backyard Collective Program to give member company employees in the outdoor industry the opportunity to work together on a local stewardship project while learning more about organizations that receive funding from the group.

Conservation Alliance grantees Conservation Colorado and The Wilderness Society joined Conservation partners Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and the City of Westminster Park Rangers in a Grantee Fair to share current information and call-to-action about their program.

“Once again, our community of Boulder-area member companies rallied to take on important stewardship work in their community,” said John Sterling, executive director of The Conservation Alliance. “Our members understand that they have a responsibility to take care of the important landscapes in their backyards.”

For more information about Backyard Collective events, please contact Abby Becker, Backyard Collective Outreach Coordinator at abby@conservationalliance.com.

About The Conservation Alliance:
The Conservation Alliance is an organization of 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 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 its inception in 1989, The Conservation Alliance has contributed more than $20 million, awarded 580 grants, helped to protect more than 50 million acres of wildlands; protect 3,102 miles of rivers; stop or remove 30 dams; designate five marine reserves; and purchase 13 climbing areas. For complete information on The Conservation Alliance, see: www.conservationalliance.com.