The Conservation Alliance Hosts Successful Backyard Collective Event in Seattle, Washington

July 3, 2019

BEND, Ore. (July 3, 2019)-The Conservation Alliance held its Backyard Collective event in Seattle, Washington on Thursday, June 27. The stewardship project drew 165 volunteers from 12 member companies, two conservation partners and one local non-profit.

The volunteers worked in support of Forterra and Green Seattle Partnership on projects in Golden Gardens Park. Participants removed 20,000 square feet of primarily invasive Himalayan blackberry, herb Robert, and English ivy. That removal saved more than 100 native plants that were struggling to survive under the thicket of invasive plants. This work freed up 20,000 square feet to be planted with a diversity of native plants in the fall. The group also spread seven  yards of mulch, covering roughly 15,000 square feet.

Conservation Alliance member companies Brooks Running, Cascade Designs, Filson, Grayl, MSR, Nuun, Nikwax, Outdoor Research, Perpetual Motion NW, REI, Therm-a-rest, Yukon Trading Company participated in the event. CLIF Bar generously donated energy bars for all attendees.

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 local stewardship projects while learning more about organizations that receive funding from the group.

Conservation Alliance grantees joined in a grantee fair to share current information and calls-to-action related to their programs. Grantees included Forterra and Washington Wild. Local non-profits included Green Seattle Partnership.

“We have a great cluster of members in the Seattle area, which results in spectacular turnout for our Backyard Collective in the area,” said John Sterling, executive director of The Conservation Alliance. “We are grateful to our members and conservation partners for coming together to improve Golden Gardens Park. Conservation starts at home, and these events represent a strong commitment to preserving these companies’ backyard.”

For more information about this event, 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 $22 million, helped to protect more than 51 million acres of wildlands; protect 3,107 miles of rivers; stop or remove 34 dams; designate five marine reserves; and purchase 14 climbing areas. For complete information on The Conservation Alliance, see www.conservationalliance.com.