Advocacy

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Celebrate National Trails Day today! 

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Today is the 32nd annual National Trails Day when people all across the country unite to celebrate the American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day®. It’s the perfect opportunity to set off on a local trail with others in your community. 

Find a local event and take the National Trails Day® pledge to leave the trails and the outdoor community better than you found them.

There’s something magical about being outdoors. Fresh air, birds singing, moving along a trail, or even just around the block – there’s nothing quite like it. But today, trails and public spaces are in dire need of help  – and not everyone has access to or feels welcome in these places that can calm and inspire. National Trails Day® is the perfect opportunity to get out there with the people you love, give back to the trails that bring us together, and make sure no one is left out.

Take the #NationalTrailsDay Pledge and commit to leaving the trails and the outdoor community better than you found them.

If you do get out and hike today, be sure to tag any Instagram posts you create with #NationalTrailsDay and @AmericanHiking for a chance to win several outdoor gear prize packages that they are giving out.

Join the nationwide movement to give back to trails and build a world where everyone has access and feels welcome to enjoy the great outdoors.

Today is Earth Day 2024!

Today is Earth Day 2024!

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Americans celebrated Earth Day for the first time in 1970. It has since grown from that single bipartisan US government proclamation into a global day of recognition. It is a day to highlight the joys of the outdoors while staying focused on the need to protect and restore the planet. Deforestation, nature loss, toxic chemicals, and plastic pollution are real threats to our health and nature. Here are a few ways to celebrate and participate today:

Cleaning up the High Ore Line Trail which was “adopted” by AdventureKEEN a few years ago.

Get outside

Today is a global day of recognition when folks all over the Earth think about getting outside, protecting the natural world, and celebrating outdoor spaces. You should get out, too. Take a walk for a 15-minute break during the day, eat your lunch outside, or plan a hike at dusk. In today’s commute-dependent and screen-driven world, it can be tough to “turn off” and get outside, but getting outside is one of the best ways you can help recognize Earth Day.

Get the kids excited about outside.

Help the kids learn about rocks, water, and plants (books are a great start). Once children start to understand where all the parts of nature come from and how they work together, they can start to understand why they are all so important. Once kids understand how important a healthy planet is to all of us, then they will want to start helping protect it.

Three Ways to Take Action

  • There are so many wonderful conservation organizations out there working to protect our planet, not just on Earth Day. It’s easy to make a monetary donation or volunteer some time to help pick up a trail or street in your neighborhood. It’s good to think about how your action along your sidewalk or road is part of a larger effort to protect our planet.
  • You can also donate old gear. Check your local outdoor shops and search online. Many places are looking for used gear to sell (and often will let you ship for free), and even more outdoor folks are looking for cheaper used gear. Plus, it keeps the old shoes, backs, and gear out of the landfill! How often do we get a win-win-win scenario?
  • You can also sign the official Earth Day Global Plastics Treaty Petition. It’s pushing for an audacious goal of a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics worldwide by 2040. That would be amazing! This petition starts with the United Nations and hopes to grow the movement from there.

BONUS: Think about how you can make any Earth Day-focused efforts you do part of your daily routine. This can be a tough one, but thinking about plastics in the home, water usage and even the plants in your yard is how we all will really start to make a difference. The outdoors belongs to everyone. Claim it. Protect it. Share the love of nature.

On Earth Day Today, remember that it’s our shared responsibility to treat it with care. We hope that wherever you are on Earth Day 2024, you can get outside, spread the word about the importance of a healthy planet, and enjoy what nature offers you.

#bewellbeoutdoors

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Mobilizing for Monuments Preview

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Last year, The Conservation Alliance, Rivian, Flickr, and Nuestra Tierra embarked on a road trip from Colorado to California to advocate for the permanent protection of National Monuments. Meeting with local business leaders, elected officials, tribal leaders, on-the-ground champions, and recreationists, the M4MRoadTrip was an epic journey across the American West.

The film will be released, in just 10 days, but you can go ahead and watch the full trailer on YouTube.

We at AdventureKEEN know that the future of business depends on a healthy planet, and that is why we are thrilled to announce our support for this ambitious initiative. The Mobilizing for Monuments (M4M) is a coalition of businesses that understand that protecting our public lands directly benefits our economy, culture, and way of life. Take the first step in protecting our lands, businesses, and communities. Watch the Mobilizing for Monuments trailer, and get ready to make your voice heard!

mobilizing for monuments
All photos are courtesy of Rivian and Dani Vernon

You can follow The Conservation Alliance on Instagram for more information about the Mobilizing for Monuments Road Trip Film and all of their conservation campaigns.

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Alaska’s public lands need your help!

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Alaska’s fish, wildlife, and public lands need your help! Across the state, 28 million acres of BLM-managed public lands could soon be repurposed for extractive industrial development. We’re talking about public lands that feed over 100 Alaska Native communities, nourish incredible fish and wildlife biodiversity, and serve as massive carbon sinks for the planet.

But RIGHT NOW, you can stand up to keep these landscapes safe. @BLMNational just opened a 60-day public comment period on this potential rollback of public land protections. The federal government needs to hear that we want public land uses that support local communities, and prioritize clean water, healthy habitat, and food security. Speak up now to maintain protections for some of the last, intact large landscapes left on the planet: https://wildsalmoncenter.org/2023/12/18/take-action-for-alaska-fish-wildlife-and-public-lands/

photo by Dave McCoy

Cheryl Armstrong: The future of conservation depends on diversity

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Black and Brown Faces Title
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In 2006 Dudley Edmundson conducted a series of interviews with African American outdoors-people that culminated in the book Black & Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places. 

A lot has changed, in the world, and around the United States, in the 17 years since Black & Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places was first published. Yet, when reading through the interviews, it is easy to see the common themes and energy that link all of their experiences with the growing outdoor community who LOOK like them and share their passion for nature and the outdoors.

Over the coming months we will be sharing the interviews from Black & Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places here on our blog, and we hope you can find your voice to add to those celebrating their passion for the outdoors.

Diversity with Cheryl Armstrong

Cheryl Armstrong, President and CEO,
James P. Beckwourth Mountain Club
Denver, Colorado

Heroes and Mentors

The most important mentor in my life was my father. I guess you could describe him as a black Ernest Hemingway. He was a big game hunter and trophy fisherman; he was way ahead of his time. We traveled all around the world during my childhood and did outdoor activities as far back as I can remember.

We would travel to Mexico for fishing and traveled to different countries around the world visiting historic places, climbing the pyramids in Mexico—you name it, we did it. My father traveled to Africa quite a bit in the late 1950s as a big game hunter; he would go on safari there. He also wrote and was a civil and women’s rights leader and a great speaker, too. I had a great mentor in my father.

Minorities in Our Wild Places

I don’t think that African Americans and other people of color spend enough time in the outdoors. The reason, I believe, is because they just don’t have the opportunities and access to do so. Getting into the outdoors oftentimes requires transportation and many urban residents do not have reliable transportation. Another factor is that it takes a certain amount of know-how and equipment to do these things. Many of them simply cannot afford it, nor do they have the skill sets to be able to safely do things like camp or backpack. In order to get that knowledge, they need access to a program or organization like the Beckwourth Mountain Club.

Youth and Wilderness

One of the rewarding parts of running the Beckwourth outdoor and youth program here is experiencing firsthand the joy and awe of children who come through our program. This is Denver and we come very close to the front range of the Rocky Mountains, with its alpine lakes and flower-filled meadows within an hour or so of the city. However, 87 percent of the children who come through our program, although born and raised in Denver, have never been to the mountains and seen this breathtaking scenery. Most of them have never experienced what it is like to climb along a mountain trail or have never been camping. Oftentimes when they first have this experience of an overnight of camping, or seeing the night sky away from the city, the looks on their faces are truly remarkable.

This is a long-term mentoring program that is not just a one-time camp-out or one-week trip; kids can sign up in our program as early as age 8 and remain in our program until they are age 18, and even after that they can come back and work as part-time program assistants and also as youth leaders. A big part of the program is to not only introduce urban youth to the outdoors, but to seek youths who really enjoy the outdoors, key in on those particular kids and encourage them to pursue careers in natural resources fields. We help young people with career prep, college scholarships, and summer internships with national partners such as the Park Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and others who are interested in diversifying their workforce. 

The keyword is “diversifying.” Everybody is jumping on the bandwagon because they realize that the population demographics in the country are changing, and if we don’t impress upon this younger and more diverse generation the importance of protecting our wilderness areas, then we are all going to be in trouble. It’s very important to pass on those ethics and foster stewardship with our young people. Plus it is important to show them, contrary to what most city residents think, that the outdoors and outdoor activities can be enjoyed by everyone, not just by wealthy or middle-class white people.

Best Outdoor Experiences and Favorite Places

My favorite outdoor activity is and always has been horseback riding. I have been riding since I was five years old and still love it. Being on the back of a horse on a trail, climbing up into the mountains and wilderness areas of Colorado makes me feel like I am truly at home. Camping out under the stars and seeing the beauty of the constellations with no light pollution from cities puts me in a whole other state of mind. It relaxes me and takes away all the stress that I may have had. Nothing makes me feel the same way; nothing is even comparable.

Some of my more memorable experiences in the outdoors with my father and my family include touring the ruins of the fabulous city Angkor Wat in Cambodia and climbing the pyramids in the ruins of the ancient Mayan city, Chichen Itza, on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. I remember holding a huge python in Algiers, Morocco, and watching a ceremonial snake dance with live cobras. We also rode camels at sunset in the desert there; it was just beautiful. We rode elephants while in Thailand and Cambodia. My father enjoyed life and enjoyed world travel, and he has given me outdoor experiences I will never forget. I feel very fortunate.

Here in the United States, some of my more memorable experiences include seeing the Grand Canyon at sunrise. And seeing a female grizzly with her cubs and, on the same morning, a wolf pack in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park. In New Mexico I took a night hike at the cliff dwelling of Bandolier National Monument. We saw thousands and thousands of bats emerging from their caves at dusk.

But my favorite place to spend time outdoors is in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. I say that even though I have traveled all over the world and seen some pretty incredible places. I have been in just about every state in this country, which includes visits to several national parks and state parks, but for me nothing can compare with the beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Being a Face of Color in Remote Places

On field trips with youth groups here in Colorado, the children always notice that whenever we go somewhere hiking or camping, people stare at us. White people stare at our groups of African American or Latino youth or adults—it happens with our group every time we go on a field trip, simply because they are not accustomed to seeing people of color in the outdoors. There is also a certain amount of prejudice in some of the rural areas that we go to, which includes unfriendly and rude staring that is probably meant to intimidate us. The kids always ask why people are staring at them, and we tell them it is because they are special. Our program is very disciplined and structured, and we teach the children to conduct themselves in a very respectable manner so their behavior does not warrant the attention they get.

Environmental Advocacy and the Future

Stewardship might be the most important part of our program here in the Beckwourth Mountain Club. I am very proud of the fact that we not only teach our young people about the environment, but we also teach them the importance of protecting, preserving and managing this country’s natural resources. We do that by partnering with national organizations like the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado State Parks and other organizations. Every long trip we do with the youth program also incorporates work projects. The kids not only learn that it is fun being in the outdoors, but they also have to learn how to protect the environment—how to restore trails, how to restore and protect natural habitats—and they learn about different ecosystems and how they function.

I do many presentations about the Beckwourth Mountain Club and its efforts to increase diversity in the outdoors. I have traveled to national conferences around the country as a guest speaker for seminars, panels and workshops. One comment I frequently hear from non-people-of-color never ceases to amuse me—“I didn’t know groups like yours existed!” People of color, whether they are Black, Latino or American Indian, have always had a deep connection to the land. It is part of their culture. They lived on the land, and they survived by living off of the land. It has only been in the last 100 years or so that people of color have become urbanized.

Another frequent comment I hear comes from environmental groups. They are surprised about the results of recent surveys. The surveys showed that people of color who reside in urban areas: (1) want their children to be exposed to the outdoors; (2) are very supportive of protecting the environment; and (3) look forward to opportunities to get into the outdoors. Why should this be surprising? Why would urban residents and people of color not want these opportunities for themselves and their children? 




Cheryl Johnson: Creating outdoor opportunities for BIPOC youth

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Black and Brown Faces Title
BlackandBrownFaces_SeriesOpener

In 2006 Dudley Edmundson conducted a series of interviews with African American outdoors-people that culminated in the book Black & Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places. 

A lot has changed, in the world, and around the United States, in the 17 years since Black & Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places was first published. Yet, when reading through the interviews, it is easy to see the common themes and energy that link all of their experiences with the growing outdoor community who LOOK like them and share their passion for nature and the outdoors.

Over the coming months we will be sharing the interviews from Black & Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places here on our blog, and we hope you can find your voice to add to those celebrating their passion for the outdoors.

Black and Brown faces

Cheryl Armstrong, President and CEO,
James P. Beckwourth Mountain Club
Denver, Colorado

The James P. Beckwourth Mountain Club was named after a famous biracial African American, James Pierson Beckwourth. He was a true legend of the West.

He was born in 1798 in Fredericksburg County, Virginia, to a white plantation owner and one of his African American female slaves. They moved to Missouri when Jim was about six years old, because they wanted to stay together, and it was easier at that time to do that there than it was in Virginia. Beckwourth was raised in Missouri. He was taught to read, as were all of his siblings. He was apprenticed to a blacksmith so he would have a trade. Around 23 years of age he was fortunate enough to meet General William Ashley, who founded the Rocky Mountain Fur Trading Company. Beckwourth joined the company as a hunter, and over his long fascinating life he was, among other things, a frontiersman and an exceptional explorer. In 1850 he discovered a pass over the Sierra Nevada Mountains that would lead pioneers into the Sacramento Valley of California.

He also saved the life of General Zachary Taylor, who later became President of the United States. Beckwourth was also war chief of the Crow Indian nation. He was adopted into the tribe and he pretty much lived with the Crow for many years. He spoke a multitude of Native American dialects as well as being fluent in English, Spanish and French. He was also one of the co-founders of the city of Pueblo, Colorado.

Our organization named itself in honor of Jim Beckwourth because of his contributions to the West and also because he was a real trailblazer and adventurous guy. We like to think that we honor some of that spirit of adventure and his legacy in our organization.

Childhood Experiences and Turning Points in Nature

I was born in Detroit, Michigan. My father’s side of the family was one of the original black families in Michigan. They founded the first Episcopal churches. My childhood was pretty unusual for African Americans at the time. My father was a doctor, and his father was a doctor and medical school professor, and education had gone on and been a tradition in my family for generations and generations. I guess you could say I had a very affluent childhood.

We had a house in Detroit where my father practiced medicine and proudly served inner city residents. He also had a home in Canada, across the river right on Lake Saint Clair. So I grew up canoeing, swimming and hunting in the summer. I fished and explored the woods around our home in Canada. My father had a boat and we got to water ski and do all of the traditional water sports. We would ice skate on the lake in the winter.

I grew up being a very athletic girl. I loved sports and the outdoors and being in the woods, immersed in nature. I loved being under the open night sky more than anything—it was good for the soul then, and it is good for the soul now.

What I Do in the Outdoors

I have been involved with the Beckwourth Club since I moved to Denver in 1995. In 1998 we started a formal program called the Beckwourth Outdoor Education Center, specifically to take urban youth into the outdoors for hiking, fishing, camping, backpacking, snowshoeing, whitewater rafting, canoeing and kayaking. We teach them mapping and compass skills as well as self-arrest training and leadership skills.

The reason we started the Beckwourth Mountain Club (it was formed in 1993) was because of our passion to bring the outdoors to inner city youth and residents. The organization is run by a terrific group of almost 60 volunteers, predominantly by people of color. They act as mentors, chaperones, hike leaders, instructors and historical reenactors. They mentor not only the young kids in the organization, but also the adults that come to our center that are new to the outdoors.

The membership is open to everyone and is about 65 percent African American, 25 percent Latino, and the remaining is mixed race, multi-race, Asian, Anglo and all combinations thereof. Membership is for families, singles and seniors. We do outdoor activities every single weekend, from easy day hikes, to climbs of Colorado’s peaks. We also do upscale trips such as orca watching on the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington state, and trips to national parks such as Acadia in Maine and Yellowstone in Wyoming. The idea is to make these national parks and wilderness areas available to a broader population.

I also do a great deal of fundraising. That’s my job—I am the money beggar! I am the grant writer and public relations person. I travel around the country heading up panel discussions and workshops, doing presentations on our program. I guess you could say I wear about 15 different hats around here.

I spent many years in the legal profession, but eight years ago I was able to break away and do what I truly love and have a passion for. There is no comparison salary-wise between working for a nonprofit organization and being in the legal profession, but I would not do anything else even if you gave me a million dollars. I enjoy running this organization and doing what we do for the community.

Invasive Species plants

Four Tips to Help You Slow the Spread of Scary Invasive Species

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This weekend wraps up the National Invasive Species Awareness Week for 2023. Here at AdventureKEEN we love North America’s lands and waters and want them to remain resilient to climate change and other biological challenges. It’s very clear, after reading books like Invaders of the Great Lakes, that little sticky seeds and tiny hitchhiking critters can easily upset nature’s balance. The state of New Jersey is even looking to revive its statewide council on battling invasive species. Fortunately with a little bit of awareness and a couple of new habits, we can all help cut back the spread of invasive species.

Invasive Species book about the Great Lakes

The term “invasive” is used for aggressive species that grow and reproduce rapidly, displace native species, and cause major disturbance to the areas in which they are present. Invasive species can cause irreversible harm to the environment and the economy and often pose a threat to plant, animal, and human health. The good news is that solutions start at home. 

By taking some basic care, you can greatly reduce the risk of spreading invasive species to the places that you love.

Here are a few tips to help do this: 

  • Clean, drain, and dry all watercraft, trailers, and equipment when finished boating or fishing. Comply with watercraft inspection and decontamination requirements.
  • Clean hiking boots, waders, boats and trailers, off-road vehicles, and other gear between outings.
  • Avoid dumping aquariums or live bait into waterways. 
  • Volunteer to help remove invasive species from public lands and natural areas.
Invasive Species book pages

That last step is a big one, but a great way to plug into and support your local outdoor community. Be sure to check out our friends at the North American Invasive Species Management Association as well as the official National Invasive Species Awareness Week website for more ideas and to join the conversation.

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Celebrating The Book Industry Charitable Foundation

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The Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc) turns 25 this year, and AdventureKEEN is happy to celebrate with them!

While the recognition and applause have been going on all year, the official event kicks off virtually on August 12th at 8 p.m. EST. We’re excited to be on the list of Honorary Hosts.

Binc supports indie bookstores in their times of need. This wonderful organization has been a help to thousands of booksellers following hardships and emergencies such as illnesses, natural disasters, and, most recently, COVID health scares and the challenges of wading through an economy in lockdown.

AdventureKEEN is proud of the work that Binc does, and we’re happy to support the foundation through our Shop Local Live Local campaign. To join the Shop Local Live Local program, all bookstores have to do is enroll. That’s it. AdventureKEEN tracks all of the purchasing and sales of AdventureKEEN books through each participating store, and at the end of the year a certain percentage of sales is donated to Binc. Binc then donates that money to shop owners who need financial support to get through all kinds of personal and professional situations. All of this is made possible through the systems put in place by folks at PGW, Binc, and AdventureKEEN. It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we work together.

Hopefully, you’re beginning to see why Binc is such a big deal and why it’s worth celebrating. If Binc’s resume isn’t enough for you, check out the full roster of authors and creators (including Celeste Ng, Ann Patchett, Jason Reynolds, and Isaac Fitzgerald, just to name a few) that will be on-screen during the live event.

So get your tickets to attend the Binc 25th Anniversary Celebration, or register to be an Honorary Host. There will be lots to see and celebrate on August 12th!

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Shop Local, Live Local, and Support Binc

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If we’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that we all do better when we work together and support one another. It’s a simple lesson that helps inform AdventureKEEN’s Shop Local Live Local program, which allows us to give back and donate money to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation today during a virtual Winter Institute Session.

AdventureKEEN President Richard Hunt prepares to ‘hand over’ the check to Pam French, from Binc.

“2020 was a tough year, but AdventureKEEN witnessed two silver linings,” says Richard Hunt, president. “First, we watched Binc continue its hard work to provide much-needed support to indie bookstores and booksellers. Second, we noticed that people found solace and safety while outdoors and in nature. We are thankful that our outdoors-focused titles helped those sheltering in place—and that we are able to make this donation to further Binc’s efforts.”

It can be tough to find simple ways of giving back and being effective. Binc makes that easy for all parties involved. Under the Shop Local Live Local program, all bookstores have to do is enroll. That’s it. AdventureKEEN tracks all of the purchasing and sales of AdventureKEEN books through each participating store, and at the end of the year a certain percentage of sales is donated to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc). Binc then donates that money to shop owners who need financial support to get through all kinds of personal and professional situations.

Pam French, Binc, accepts the check from AdventureKEEN.

It is that kind of awareness of well-being and care that makes this program such a great fit. Those same sentiments not only help drive why AdventureKEEN publishes the kinds of books we do, but also motivate the kinds of people who like to buy hiking, camping, biking, kayaking, and other outdoor activity books.

We hope to help readers find new outdoor activities. And if we can do that while stressing the importance of shopping locally, then we see that as a win. If we can do BOTH of those things while making more people aware of Binc and the role it plays in the book community, then it’s a win-win-win!

As publishers of outdoor adventure and travel guides, we know the value that independent bookstores add to their communities. We’ve seen their benefits first-hand. They are worth supporting.

You can read what the Book Industry Charitable Foundation has to say about today’s event here, in their press release. We’re excited that—even after a year like 2020—we have the chance to celebrate bookstore owners, Binc, outdoor adventures, and readers of books, all at the same time!

Ending the virtual Winter Institute 16 session with a virtual handshake and smiles.

#BeWellBeOutdoors

#Optoutside 2019

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There is much to be thankful for the season. And very little of it has to do with walking around inside, elbowing through the crowds and shopping.

That’s why once again we’re locking arms with folks across the outdoor industry and shutter our online shopping cart to help encourage everyone to get outside and enjoy nature. REI kicked off the #OptOutside hashtag and efforts a few years ago and their website is a good place to start.

We hope your Thanksgiving is full of family, friends and food, and that you get to recover from all the holiday-ness outdoors.

Here are three ideas for what to do this Black Friday:

Ultimately all of the #optoutside chatter makes us thankful. Thankful for the outdoors. Thankful we get the time off to celebrate and enjoy the company of family, friends and old hiking buddies. And we’re especially thankful for you and the growing outdoors community! Happy Thanksgiving and get outside this week.

The post #Optoutside 2019 appeared first on Menasha Ridge Press Blog.

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