Trip Report: Outdoor Alliance California Meets with California State Leadership
From left to right: Katherine Toy, Deputy Secretary for Access, CNRA; Vipe Desai, Executive Director, SIMA; Secretary Wade Crowfoot, CNRA; Katie Hawkins, California Program Manager, Outdoor Alliance; Marc Berejka, Director, Community Advocacy & Impact, REI; Andrea Ambriz, CNRA Deputy Secretary for External Affairs.
Over the past three years, the Outdoor Alliance California team has been working closely with California Natural Resources Agency and the Newsom Administration on collaborating on CA 30x30, Outdoors for All, and the state’s historic investments in outdoor recreation.
This April, we were honored to lead a panel discussion at the Sea Otter Classic, the world’s largest cycling event. At the inaugural summit event, we convened the first-ever panel on the outdoor recreation community’s role to shape policy, reverse the scale of climate change, and create a more inclusive outdoors experience through public and private partnerships. The panel included Vipe Desai, Executive Director at the Surf Industry Members Association; Marc Berejka, Director, Community Advocacy & Impact at the REI Co-op; and special guest Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency.
Climate change is top of mind for all Californians, and it has profound effects on iconic outdoor recreation landscapes. Extreme heat, flooding, drought, sea level rise, and catastrophic wildfires demand big changes, and the state is working to achieve carbon neutrality and build community resilience. A significant focus of the discussion was how nature-based solutions, including land conservation, can be a key part of addressing the climate crisis, including through initiatives like the state’s 30x30 plan.
Marc Berejka from REI said, “Like others in the sector, REI Co-op has a keen interest in working with Governor Newsom’s team and the California Natural Resources Agency in our shared efforts to combat climate change, protect the state’s rich biodiversity, advocate for outdoor recreation funding, and build a more inclusive and equitable outdoors across the state. With over 2,000 employees, 3.8 million REI Co-op members, 29 retail locations and hundreds of philanthropic partners— it’s important for the Co-op to establish and maintain meaningful partnerships with state-level and local change-makers across the state.”
Outdoor Alliance California was also able to lead an event at the local REI, focused on bringing together outdoor recreation leaders from across the state to discuss equitable access to the outdoors, better public-private partnerships, and building new outdoor recreation opportunities. We brought together 30 outdoor recreation leaders from across the state, including land managers, trail stewards, land trusts, outdoor industry partners, climate youth advocates, and organizations focused on equitable access, conservation, and recreation.
"Outdoor Alliance California continues to bring together a broad coalition of partners including leaders from our member organizations, brand partners, grasstops leaders, constituents, and key decision makers that work together to find solutions to advance outdoor recreation policies on the states public lands and waters. It was incredible to have Secretary Crowfoot and leadership from CNRA at the table listening firsthand to the concerns of the outdoor recreation community and sharing solutions on how we can better collaborate on important issues that face the outdoor recreation community. We look forward to continuing the dialogue and collaborating more with the agency and the Newsom Administration."
A love of the outdoor runs deep with Californians, and this shared affection for our public lands and waters brings us together. Collaboration will be critical for continuing to protect the places we love and for addressing problems like climate change, barriers to access, and the need for more protected places to get outside.
Outdoor Alliance California, and our California Manager, Katie Hawkins, was so grateful to Secretary Crowfoot, Deputy Secretary of External Affairs, Andrea Ambriz, and Deputy Secretary of Access, Katherine Toy for making the time to sit down and connect directly with outdoor recreation leaders across the state to have an open conversation about partnership and collaboration to advance the agency’s key priorities.
P.S If you want to keep in touch and learn more on how you can join us to help protect important places in California, sign up here: