‘The Outdoors’ Are Urban, Too

Q&A with Rachel Felder, a naturalist at the City of Detroit Parks and Recreation Department 

The Outdoor Foundation’s Thrive Outside Initiative is a national network of partners working to create a more inclusive and accessible outdoor experience for all. In this Impact Stories series, we talk to local Thrive Outside leaders to learn more about their community and their vision for the future.  

For a prime example of how powerful collective impact can be, Thrive Outside Detroit is a community-led network involving organizations from local, city, state, and national levels—and has already directly led to events engaging hundreds of youth in nature-based activities. 

We asked Rachel Felder, a naturalist with the City of Detroit Parks and Recreation Department, about the coalition’s programming, goals, and efforts to redefine the way people see the “outdoors.” 

What kind of programming are you doing through Thrive Outside? 

We have nature programming throughout the city and do a lot of work focusing on bridging the gap between nature and people. Recently, we had a three-day event to celebrate National Thrive Outside Day with the Canoemobile from Wilderness Inquiry in Minnesota. We collaborated with a lot of different partners, including the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service, the Belle Isle Nature Center, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Detroit Public Schools Community District. We were able to get probably 200 youth out paddling on the Detroit River and learning about the environment surrounding it. It was a really great opportunity to uplift and amplify what the goals of Thrive Outside are. These three days came out of multiple meetings with community partners and getting together to figure out how to have an opportunity like this for youth within the city. 

How do you define the “outdoors” in an urban environment like Detroit? 

We’re really trying to emphasize that there’s no wrong way to be outside, as long as you’re respecting the Earth and the people around you and you’re being safe. It doesn’t have to be this extensive experience, if you don’t want it to be. Some of us don’t necessarily feel comfortable or are not used to doing certain activities outside, and outside isn’t something that’s normalized for us. So it just starts out with talking with people. 

We have a lot of pocket parks, actually. We’re working on a grant from the National Parks & Recreation Association, through the City of Detroit Parks and Rec Department, to create seven new pocket parks. We’re working with community leaders in seven districts to figure out what they want and need in their communities, and help them build it. 

There are so many ways to exist in nature, and nature itself is not going to judge you for the way you want to interact with it. In every experience, we’re trying to bring people to nature, and we’re also trying to bring nature to people. 

What are some ways we can make the outdoors more inclusive and accessible? 

Nature is a human right, so to speak. It’s important to be talking about all of these things with people and encouraging them to utilize the natural spaces they have in their area, and just to sit outside is a great thing to do. We try to encourage them, like, “Hey, try to do some of the activities you do inside, outside.” Like reading a book, or drawing a picture, or having a simple conversation. Sometimes, shifting things outside can shift the entire dynamic of what’s being done, like having a meeting outside versus inside can be transformational. 

How are you finding and engaging people to interact with your programming? 

There’s a mix of us doing outreach, and people seeking and finding us. We interact with a lot of people through our social media accounts. That is where we promote many of our events. But we find that a lot of people find out about us through word of mouth. We really try to engage with many organizations within the city of Detroit to spread the word that there are opportunities to get youth and adults of color outside and camping. We have camping leadership trainings for all experience levels. Once you’ve done the training, you have access to our gear library. 

One of the reasons the Thrive Outside initiative is so cool and important to us is because we love partnership. One of my colleagues likes to say that there’s so much knowledge held within people, so through working with different organizations, through working with different people, it’s really cool and powerful to be able to meet people who want to do things with us and reach out and collaborate. 

How does the collective impact model relate to the work you’re doing? 

The collective impact allows for organizations to come together and figure out how to collaborate. Like, you’re having this program; how can we uplift it? It’s beautiful. It brings so many people into a space to have conversations that aren’t stagnant—they’re active conversations that result in plans and partnerships and long-term relationships. We’re already collaborating on a daily basis with other organizations, like Detroit Parks and Recreation employees, YMCA employees, and Sierra Club employees — and that’s just within our Detroit Outdoors collaborative. A lot of our missions align—at the end of the day, we want to get people outside, so let’s figure out how to do it together. 

Having national partners, state-level partners, city-level partners, and people on the ground in grassroots organizations, all at the same table, is something unbelievable. Seeing the engagement that comes out of these conversations and the work that Thrive is uplifting is very powerful. 

How have the outdoors been impactful to you in your own life? 

Detroit Outdoors took me on my first camping trip when I was 16. It’s a really full-circle experience to be taking youth even younger than me on their first camping trips, and sharing those experiences with them and knowing some of the emotions they’re having. It’s great to see their faces when they see the stars at night, or when they see a deer that they don’t expect to see. Nature is somewhere that I find a lot of peace. 

What does success look like? What do you want to see Detroit achieve through Thrive Outside and beyond? 

It starts with knowing what people want to do. Our gear library has been a game changer in many ways because it’s allowed us to really bridge that gap. If we’re talking about 5, 10 or even 50 years down the line, I’d like to see so many gear libraries in recreation centers and community hubs throughout the city of Detroit.  If people want to go camping or skiing or canoeing, they’ll have the ability to access a gear rental system where people are keeping equipment in great condition because they know other people are using it, too. 

We have a lot of vacant lots in Detroit and I think there’s a lot of potential there, as well, to make use of what we have. Some people have installed shipping containers to create useful, recreational spaces in empty lots. We ask a lot of questions about how we can give people infrastructure and resources to utilize the spaces that they have. I’d love to see more of this—maybe shipping containers with access to laundry facilities or clothes libraries so people can have gear in the winter. I’d like to see hubs for nature programming, living trailers or tiny houses where people can borrow binoculars and access passive programming in the outdoors. I want to see more free libraries and creative reading nooks with ample lighting, just creating spaces to make people want to go outside and not have to question themselves. I want it to be accessible: all body types, all learning and physical abilities. I want to see people interacting with parks in so many different ways, whether it’s reading a book or doing ecology work or citizen science, or going camping. I just want people to feel comfortable going outside and to know that they have a right to be there.  

 

 

 

Connecting Families with Nature is the Key to Long-Term Engagement

Q&A with Christian Vargas 

Director of Community Engagement for Thorne Nature Experience 

The Outdoor Foundation’s Thrive Outside Initiative is a national network of partners working to create a more inclusive and accessible outdoor experience for all. In this Impact Stories series, we talk to local Thrive Outside leaders to learn more about their community and their vision for the future.  

Boulder County may have a heavy concentration of professional outdoor athletes and outdoor industry brands, but it still has a lot of work to do to make its outdoor access more equitable. Thorne Nature Experience, the backbone organization of Thrive Outside Boulder/Denver, is working to deepen families’ relationships with the outdoors—and each other—in Lafayette and beyond. 

We asked Christian Vargas, the organization’s director of community engagement, what to expect from the partnership. 

What are Thorne’s main goals for the Thrive Outside partnership? 

We want to ensure that all of our programs are meaningful for community members and remove any barriers to participation. In addition, we want to connect youth to nature through a continuum of pre-K to high school, backyard to backcountry, and family-integrated programming. 

We’re trying to work together to create meaningful engagement with the outdoors for both children and families, so that engagement is more sustainable in the long run. We understand that kids’ whole families, including the parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, and grandparents, also need to experience and have access to the outdoors in a way that is meaningful to them. 

We’re trying to ensure that access to nature is more equitable in our community, so we deliver nature programs to underserved youth in the cities of Lafayette and Boulder. We’re also trying to make sure that we support their families, too, and remove any barriers to accessing nature. So, for example, the school district has a program where fourth and fifth graders go on an overnight trip to camp in the mountains. Thorne Nature Experience and Nature Kids/Jovenes de la Naturaleza has summer programs that connect the rest of the family to a similar experience with family camps throughout the year in addition to other youth programs. By providing a way for the whole family to enjoy these nature experiences, we hope that they will continue their connection with nature and keep exploring the outdoors as a family.   

How are you working to increase outdoor access locally? 

One of our goals is that we want to ensure that Lafayette youth are living within a safe, 10-minute walk to nature—from their home to an open space, park, or trail. Every year we strive to have meaningful programming to connect youth and their families with outdoor opportunities. Three years ago, for example, Nature Kids was able to advocate and collaborate to raise funds to build a park right next to a school where we have one of the biggest Latinx communities. The park was designed with a trail that connects with parts of the community and the local town to connect families to nature. The park has a playground with boulders, tree logs, water features, and a shelter for community use. 

With so much wilderness and nature in Colorado, why is it so important to create urban green spaces? 

There are some families that don’t have access to a car, or maybe they have to work really long hours that don’t allow them to do these things. Especially with COVID, I think it’s really important for families to have local access to nature that doesn’t require driving. Even if they have a car, they might not have the confidence to drive in the mountains, especially if road conditions could get bad. Then they can still walk close by and have the opportunity to access nature without other means of transportation. We know that a family that visits or shares the outdoors together will be healthier overall. Families that have time to connect with nature likely have better communication with the kids, better mental health, physical health, and lifestyle balance. So I think it’s important to also have access within the city in a way that you can easily walk to the park or a trail, and you don’t need to use a car or spend more time traveling to be in nature. 

How are the outdoors meaningful to you? 

When I was growing up in Costa Rica, one of the main sources of income was tourism. In the late 70s, Costa Rica started putting together land to make national parks. Now, it is one of the countries with the largest percentage of protected areas in the world—25 percent of its land is protected. Growing up there, that was one of the things we used to do—traveling a lot, going to a national volcano or one of our beautiful beaches. That’s part of the culture, to drive on the weekends to explore the outdoors or go for a hike. When I moved to Boulder, I saw how similar it was, but at the same time, different. It’s a beautiful place, with many mountains, and it snows, so you have a variety of year-round outdoor activities. That alone connects you with nature, and many of these activities, like hiking, are free. Now that I have a family, I’m trying to pass along that love for the outdoors to my family and also take advantage of all the gems here in this state. 

Your kids have previously participated in some of Thorne’s programming. How did that experience impact them? 

My oldest kid did a summer camp where they went to four or five different places. They started with Cal-Wood, an outdoor engagement program, in Boulder, then from there they did an overnight. It was about a week long. They learned some outdoor educational skills, they did rafting and mountain biking, and then they went into the mountains for some camping. They engaged the kids in a way that also makes it super fun, so when he came back, he was very excited—the first thing he told me is that it was super fun and he had a lot of great memories, one being a competition in starting a campfire with minimal resources. He wanted to become a summer camp counselor as soon as he was old enough.  

My youngest has done some summer camps as well with Nature Kids, around the Coal Creek Trail. It’s a long trail that travels along the creek through three cities: Louisville, Lafayette, and Erie. They teach the kids about the ecosystem, the plants and animals, and they keep them outside all day. It’s a really nice way to release all of their energy and connect them with the local trail system. He also attended the YMCA Camp Santa Maria in the Mountains, an overnight camp with a lot of fun activities. 

During COVID, Lafayette Nature Kids provided families with small learning cohorts for students, where they were able to balance their online learning through their schools with outdoor activities. My son participated in this program and it made a big difference for him and his mental health during those difficult times. 

 

Outdoor Retailer Summer: Learning, Connecting, and Inspiring Innovation

Learn. Connect. Innovate.

This is the framework that guided our conversations and collaborations at Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City this June. 

From learning about outdoor recreation participation trends, to innovating solutions for phasing out harmful chemicals in outdoor products, to connecting with industry peers and allies, we united a collective of catalysts for meaningful change. 

Thank you to everyone who attended our education sessions and stopped by our booth to share ideas and forge connections. Together we will continue to tread a path towards climate positivity, increased outdoor inclusivity, and a healthy outdoor economy. 

Read on for a recap of our Outdoor Retailer adventure. 

Day Zero: OIA Member event at evo 

We started Outdoor Retailer with a bang at our welcome party at evo Salt Lake. Attendees enjoyed a live DJ, food trucks, a rooftop bar, gear giveaway spoils, and friendly conversations with industry peers and fellow outdoor enthusiasts. 

      

Day One: Celebrating Juneteenth, DEI, and a more diverse and young new participant base 

We kicked off Day One with a community breakfast gathering where we heard from our President Kent Ebersole, COO Dr. Arlene Charles, and keynote speaker Will Akuna Robinson. In recognition of the day’s cultural and historical significance, our conversations centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and what that looks like in the context of the outdoors. 

Receiving a standing ovation from attendees, Will Akuna Robinson, a Triple Crown Thru-Hiker and community advocate, inspired us and shared anecdotes of healing, discovery, and self-love from his time on the trail.  

“This was about learning how to live again, learning how to socialize, learning how to be a part of a community. Two days in, and I had my trail family,” – Will Akuna Robinson. 

We also unveiled our most anticipated research report of the year, our Annual Outdoor Participation Trends Report. Research Director Kelly Davis revealed key insights and narratives around who’s doing what, when, and how outdoors. 

Read the Executive Summary here 

   

 

Day Two: Innovating Sustainable, Climate-Forward Solutions for the Outdoor Industry 

One of the highlights of Day Two was our discussion on ‘forever chemicals’ and our new sustainability program, Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition, a comprehensive program, working group, and consulting service to provide OIA members with strategies, scalable action plans, and solutions for thoughtfully phasing out these harmful chemicals from their products and navigating sustainability regulations across the country. Our goal is to support members as they innovate on sustainability and build consumer trust in their favorite brands. 

Join CCMC today 

“For the outdoor industry, the path towards phasing out forever chemicals includes finding safer replacement materials that don’t sacrifice performance. Recently, many leading outdoor brands have become committed to phasing out PFAS, and members like REI, Keen, and Patagonia are already supporting the cause by screening products for PFAS and eradicating toxic materials from their own product lines.  

With the new CCMC, OIA looks to catalyze even broader compliance by bringing the entirety of our industry to the forefront of this vital chemical phase-out.” — OIA President Kent Ebersole 

   

 

Day Three: Exploring the Industry’s Foremost Challenges to Business Success 

We wrapped up Day Three of Outdoor Retailer with sessions that delved into some of the most pressing challenges for outdoor businesses today, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, navigating supply chain obstacles, and avoiding potential patent infringement issues. 

Through creative collaboration with industry peers and Q&As with industry experts, we generated solutions in real-time.  

   

 

At Our Booth: Real-Time Data Collection, Real-Time Connection 

We invited OR attendees to engage directly with our Outdoor Participation Trends data by selecting their top three favorite outdoor activities from our list of some of the sports with the highest growth rates in 2022. It came as no surprise that the Outdoor Retailer attendee base enjoys any and all outdoor fun (as evidenced by our stickered-out poster – see below). 

 

Post-Outdoor Retailer: The Movement Continues 

Thank you to everyone who attended our sessions, stopped by our booth, shared ideas with our team, and engaged in our work. Outdoor Retailer presented a wonderful opportunity for our industry to come together and collaborate, but our work doesn’t end here. 

As a member-led collective serving as the outdoor industry’s catalyst for meaningful change, we at OIA are here to support the outdoor industry, people, and the planet year-round.  

Tread the path with us. Join OIA today. 

 

 

Building Urban Networks to Break Down Barriers to the Outdoors

Q&A with Brooke Thurau, Conservation Partnership and Network Specialist for The Nature Conservancy in Chicago 

By Kassondra Kloos

The Outdoor Foundation Thrive Outside Initiative is a national network of partners working to create a more inclusive and accessible outdoor experience for all. In this Impact Stories series, we talk to local Thrive Outside leaders to learn more about their community and their vision for the future.  

Chicago has a wealth of outdoor opportunities within—theoretically—easy reach of its urban center. But lack of transportation, a history of discrimination, and manufacturing industries make it hard for many families to get there. The Nature Conservancy, the backbone organization of  Thrive Outside Chicago, is working to connect, galvanize, and fund grassroots organizations throughout the city to meet people where they are. 

We asked Brooke Thurau, who runs the organization’s Volunteer Stewardship Network, what to expect from the city’s Thrive Outside Initiative. 

What are the barriers to outdoor access in the Chicago area? 

Chicago has a history of redlining. Black and brown communities, particularly on the south and west sides, have historically been excluded from outdoor programming. They’ve also taken the brunt of environmental injustices. Industry in these communities has caused serious health problems for children, including asthma. There’s also a lack of accessible green space, and transportation in general is an issue. A lot of people want to visit the forest preserves and parks, but they can’t because they don’t have cars. Additionally, many people don’t feel safe in these spaces. 

How do you get people more comfortable with the outdoors if they don’t feel safe playing outside, in nature? 

It takes time. And a lot of trust-building. One of our key partners in the Chicago Thrive Network helps support and manage the natural areas on the south side. To try to encourage people from the community to participate in restoration workdays, a staff member hung flyers in local businesses. People weren’t showing up, so she started going to community-based health and wellness organizations and meetings. She went to teachers and had a lot of conversations about what the barriers were, then found different ways to engage people and help them be comfortable in the outdoors. So a lot of times, she brought nature to them. The Volunteer Stewardship Network provided funding and she held an outdoor festival at one of the natural areas with games for kids and engagement opportunities for adults in the parking lot area, so it wasn’t inside the natural area. There were groups there that brought rehabilitated animals they could introduce to the kids and their parents. They took a first step, not expecting folks to go into the forest and hike, but starting slowly with small introductions to the forest. 

What goals are you working toward through the Thrive Outside Initiative? 

Our goal is not to build a new network, because the work is already being done. Our goal is to provide capacity to what are often volunteer-run organizations. I’m excited to really be able to provide the support these organizations need, to help them strengthen the work they’re already doing, and to provide much-needed funding. A lot of these organizations aren’t 501(c)(3) organizations, so they can’t be recipients of funding because they don’t have that status. So they rely on community donations and volunteer time. We’re really excited to be able to provide small grants, and maybe even some larger capacity-building grants, tools and supplies, and outdoor gear—the things these organizations lack because they’re so community- and grassroots-based. 

Some organizations don’t feel comfortable writing the grants or are really intimidated by the process, so we have offered to do oral applications. An organization can jump on a Zoom call and answer the questions verbally, and then I’ll type them out and have someone else review those applications so that it’s equitable. This has taught us that we need to make grant applications more accessible. We want people to feel comfortable and to be able to enjoy the outdoors, but there are also barriers in the process. We want to consider why some groups wouldn’t apply, and ensure we’re sharing the information widely so that people aren’t being left out. 

How have you seen the collective impact model benefit the goals you’re working toward? 

We’re working to build capacity and bring organizations together. The Nature Conservancy’s Urban Conservation Program has been working with a lot of grassroots organizations for years, which includes places of worship, community gardens, environmental justice organizations, and more. There’s a huge environmental justice movement in Chicago given the damage to communities from industry. There are stewardship and affinity groups like Out in Nature, which is a group of LGBTQIA+ members getting outdoors together. Some of these groups need, say, binoculars, or birding guides. Through Thrive Outside, we’ll be able to provide these groups with the things they need to enjoy the outdoors. 

We’ve also been able to connect people with varying levels of knowledge. So, a brand-new community garden whose leaders have never done this work before but saw the need in the community can connect with other community gardens that have been around for a long time so they don’t have to start from scratch. 

Can you share an example of another organization that’s working to bring down these barriers? 

There’s an organization that’s part of the Volunteer Stewardship Network, which we’re hoping to engage through the Thrive Outside network. It’s a family-run organization called All Things Through Christ Outreach Ministries. They’re in West Englewood, on the west side of Chicago, and they’re in a food desert. At the time this outreach ministry started, there were no green spaces in the area, and with public transportation being the primary mode of transportation, people were unable to get to and from the nearest grocery store. People resorted to gas stations and liquor stores for snacks, so All Things Through Christ started distributing one bag of essential food and personal hygiene items once a month out of the lower level of their church.  

This monthly distribution has expanded into a full-service community outreach organization, offering residents access to a full-service weekly client choice food pantry and a youth job skills development and mentorship program. The family and its partners realized the health disparities plaguing this community and the lack of access to healthcare and fresh fruits and vegetables, and they began to steward land contiguous to the building site of their future community outreach center. They’ve been growing food and flowers and educating the community about healthy eating and the environment. They also run programs for youth and adults to engage people in growing flowers and vegetables in raised garden beds, so kids get to dig their hands into the dirt and plant seeds and harvest plants that become meals. Over the summer, the kids get to watch things grow slowly. A lot of these children and adults live in rental spaces, such as highrises, that don’t have yards or landscaping, and they don’t really even have grass in their communities, so this is life-changing and brings hope to the community. 

How do you collaborate with other groups and uplift other organizations’ work? 

I like the word “uplift.” I’ve been in the conservation field for 15 years. My graduate research was based on equity in conservation and I did a lot of work in Central America, in Panama. I saw the same thing over and over where large conservation organizations, with good intentions, would go into a community where there’s a valuable resource and kind of go about it all the wrong way. Like, “We’re here, this is what we’re gonna do, and you can partner with us, but this is our plan.” Now, our approach through the Nature Conservancy, especially in our city’s work, is to meet organizations where they are. 

What does that look like? 

We don’t want to reinvent the wheel, and we don’t have a desire to tell these groups what to do, like what the conservation field has done in the past. 

It’s important to go to places of worship, attend environmental justice meetings or events, go to fairs or events in the communities where there are needs and organizations already working, and really just listen. I think that is one of the most important things, just to go into communities and listen and get to know one another and find out what’s really going on. There are a lot of similarities among these communities in Chicago, but there are a lot of differences, too. They’re very unique, with a unique set of barriers and a unique set of solutions. I think the goal is to really learn the needs of each one and build trust. 

  

  

   

 

The Way We Define ‘Outdoors’ Needs to Change

Q&A with Akiima Price, Thrive Outside Washington D.C. Director 

By Kassondra Kloos

The Outdoor Foundation’s Thrive Outside Initiative is a national network of partners working to create a more inclusive and accessible outdoor experience for all. In this Impact Stories series, we talk to local Thrive Outside leaders to learn more about their community and their vision for the future.  

Throughout her career, Akiima Price has been working to increase participation in the outdoors—and to change the way we define it. There’s no “right” way to spend time outdoors, she says. Sitting in a park playing Uno with your kids, or painting your nails at a picnic table, or just having a conversation, is better than not spending time in that park at all. 

As the Thrive Outside director for Washington, D.C., Price is building a network of organizations to help children and adults forge meaningful, lasting connections with nature. 

We asked her about her plans for the Thrive Outside Washington, D.C. Community, and how the outdoor industry can better collaborate with groups breaking down barriers in their own communities. 

How do you define the “outdoors?” 

I think it’s dependent on your environment. If you live in a rural area, your outdoors could be trees and grass. If you live in an urban area, your outdoors could be simply not indoors. As an urbanite, when I can choose where to be outdoors, I choose to be near water. Some people don’t have a choice about what their outdoors is, in terms of where they live. Most times, when people say outdoors, you think trees, grass, pleasant—you don’t think scary. But for some people, if you say, “go outdoors,” it’s scary, because they may not live in areas that feel safe. 

It’s important to understand that being active in the “outdoors” doesn’t mean the same thing to everybody. Some feel like if you’re not kayaking or doing traditional athletics or recreation—it doesn’t “count.” We need to shift that. People use parks and outdoor spaces to play cards, to play basketball, to have cookouts. Those experiences count. 

What are some ways you’re addressing safety concerns and helping people feel more comfortable in parks and green spaces? 

We’re doing way more programming, from May all the way through November. We have a skate pavilion, so people often come on their own and skate. We’ve also been doing a monthly late-night skating program. We keep the park open until 10 p.m. and have DJs and concerts and incredibly thoughtful programming—like family portraits at every event, and making homemade bug spray in the summer months. It’s looking a lot better, and people are feeling safer. 

What motivates your interest in working with Thrive Outside and the outdoor industry? 

Oh gosh, it’s so pregnant with possibility. The industry wants to address access, and I’ve got a laundry list of access issues. This Thrive work helps me connect with other people in other cities who have similar challenges, who I can learn from. Everybody has something to contribute and we see ourselves in each other. 

What are some examples of programming you’ve done with Thrive so far? 

My first thing out of the gate was the Thrive Washington, D.C. After School Teen Respite Program. We were on the heels of a youth-fueled gun violence epidemic that summer in Washington, D.C. and realized we weren’t doing much with teens between ages 14 and 19. We wondered how can we use Anacostia Park to keep kids safe and provide rest or relief during out of school time hours when they were most vulnerable. We realized early on we would need to provide transportation, food, and a stipend, and make this all about recreation not so much education. This needed to be an opportunity for them to just be kids.  

So we recruited 30 stressed youth to participate in a 6-week after-school program in our park. We gave everyone a time card, and asked them to fill out four 30-minute time slots with whatever they wanted. At least one had to be the “Me Time” station where we worked with an organization that did group therapy with kids, and they loved it. Other activities included riding a bike, skating, and playing basketball. For every activity they completed, they got $5—so $20 per day, every day after school, for six weeks. It was so nice just seeing them giggle and chase each other. These are older teens who are too cool for school, but ultimately, it was amazing. 

How have the outdoors been important in your own life? 

I grew up in the 70s in an area with a lot of urban development going on. My dad grew up in the country and my mom grew up on a farm, so they exposed me to camping and fishing and the outdoors when I was younger. When I was old enough to play outside, I was fascinated by caterpillars, and even more fascinated when I learned what they turn into. I was always fascinated and connected and loved nature, animals, and water. By the time I was old enough to have a car, I sought out camping experiences and the ocean. The ocean is my therapist. During all the coverage of George Floyd, oh my God, it was so heavy. It impacted my work, where so many people wanted to have deep conversations about things I had been saying all along. I was losing it, and I just remember going out to the eastern shore. I would drive across the Bay Bridge and just feel like a whole new person. 

What are your goals for the next few years with Thrive Outside? 

I’m setting the groundwork for creating networks to put existing groups in contact with one another. Imagine a room where we’ve got existing environmental groups together, and then we bring in social services, human services, and non-traditional, justice-focused partners. That’s phase one—establishing the room and making sure people have everything they need so they don’t leave that room while I go out and get other groups involved. Once we’ve got diversity in that room, we can do an assessment so everyone can say, “Hey, I do this well, and here’s where I need support.” 

What kinds of support could brands offer to organizations like those you work with to make a meaningful impact? 

Groups are often used to giving money, but sometimes giving gear can be even more useful. A coat manufacturer, for example, could outfit an elementary school in a low-income area so the kids can have recess outside during the winter. Sometimes parks really just need chairs, or hammocks. Not a lot of people get to lay in a hammock in their lifetime. It seems really simple, but if more parks had freestanding hammocks and people could experience them, my goodness, that’s my dream. 

I had this master list of $14,000 worth of gear and it included things like kayaks and really nice binoculars. If you’ve never experienced a really nice pair of binoculars, you’re missing out. And that’s another reason for the industry to get involved in this way—people spend money on what matters to them, including low-income people. Right now it just looks like a bunch of rich people who make cool stuff because they like to be outside, but a lot of this stuff is actually very practical, and just needs to be more inclusive. 

 

The View from Capitol Summit: What Happened and Where We’re Venturing Next

OIA Capitol Summit

We used our outside voices, and our industry was heard loud and clear.  

Live from the Hill, we want to extend our greatest thanks to all our sponsors, business leaders, elected officials, and fellow outdoor enthusiasts for joining us in our nation’s capital for our annual Capitol Summit! 

As the outdoor industry’s catalyst for meaningful change, we’re passionately committed to doing the work to advocate for the economy, inclusion, participation, and the health of the planet. Over the past few days, OIA galvanized the community around our advocacy priorities – and we’re just getting started. 

Read on for a recap of what went down at Capitol Summit, and a guide to opportunities for further advocacy. 

Sustaining Outdoor Traditions and Public Land Stewardship for Economic Growth is Possible 

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland 

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland invigorated attendees with her inspiring and encouraging keynote presentation about the implementation of the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Great American Outdoors Act. A member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the first Native American to serve in a cabinet secretary position, Haaland shared her perspective on the critical importance of the outdoor industry – not only to thriving communities, but also to a thriving economy. 

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland

“That’s what the Outdoor Industry Association is all about. It’s about sustaining outdoor traditions that help our communities to thrive – hunting, fishing, climbing, hiking, and everything in between – while working together to protect incredible places for future generations.  

And your dedicated efforts don’t just help steward public lands and waters for the enjoyment of all, they also have a significant and undeniable impact on our nation’s economy! 

Jobs in outdoor recreation ensure families can put food on the table, create diverse revenue streams for communities, and bring new opportunities to lesser-known outdoor spaces.” 

— Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland 

Eric Raymond, Director of Social Impact and Advocacy at The North Face, introduced the Secretary to Capitol Summit attendees, sharing “Secretary Haaland is a true inspiration, a tireless advocate for our planet, and for people from all walks of life. She is a fierce and passionate advocate for environmental justice, climate action, outdoor recreation, and conservation. And she does this all in service of future generations. We could not be more grateful for Secretary Haaland’s leadership and for her enduring support of the outdoor industry and our shared values.”  

Collective Voices and Actions on Common Ground Issues   

USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres-Small educated attendees on the critical importance of rural development and agriculture to the health of the outdoor economy, while outdoor business and advocacy leaders from Conservation Alliance, Outdoor Alliance, REI Co-Op, Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project, Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, Maine Outdoor Brands, VF Corporation, KEEN Footwear, NEMO Equipment, and Vista Outdoor explored how to take action on equity, trade, and climate policy at varying governmental levels. 

We also had the chance to share our OIA team’s expertise. OIA’s President, Kent Ebersole; Director of Government Affairs, Rich Harper; State and Local Government Affairs Manager, Rebecca Gillis; Policy Fellow, Hannah Wintucky; COO Dr. Arlene Charles; and Outdoor Foundation’s Executive Director Stephanie Maez led discussions on the outdoor industry’s top policy priorities, including:  

Recreation and conservation policies like the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA) and Farm Bill. 

Balanced trade policy that enables innovation and sustainable evolution like the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and miscellaneous tariff bills (MTBs). 

Additional legislative opportunities to increase equitable access to and participation in the outdoors.  

Every member of Congress and their staff has a favorite place in the outdoors and a favorite outdoor activity. You may not agree on every issue, but you can always start a conversation and that can lead to some common ground. And in a divided Congress, with a contested presidential election coming up, the ability to begin a conversation is more important than ever. Your voice will elevate and enhance our advocacy here in Washington, D.C. throughout the year – and we will support you and your business as you continue your engagement on these issues in your local communities and states,” said Rich Harper, Director of Government Affairs, OIA.  

 

OIA GA team

 

Narrowing the Nature Gap  

Our OIA and Outdoor Foundation team partnered with Friends of Anacostia Park to host a community gathering centered on outdoor equity, access, and inclusion. Attendees built relationships with local community leaders, discussed challenges like the Nature Gap, and learned collective impact strategies for breaking down barriers to outdoor access, as exemplified by the work of organizations like Outdoor Foundation and Friends of Anacostia Park. 

 

Thrive Outside Community Gathering

 

And the Outdoor Industry Award Goes to… 

During our Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award reception, Representative Nanette Barragán, Senator Joe Manchin, and Representative Adrian Smith were recognized for enduring commitment to the outdoor industry, public lands, and international trade and climate policies that promote the growth and success of outdoor businesses.  

Representative Barragán (D-CA)

Rep. Barragán is dedicated to protecting our public lands and waters and investing in initiatives to expand access to the outdoors for all Americans – regardless of zip code. A tremendous champion for equitable access and opportunity, she is a lead sponsor of the ‘Outdoors for All Act,’ which is designed to provide much-needed funding for urban green spaces. 

“I am honored to receive the Friend of Industry award from the Outdoor Industry Association. OIA’s work to support outdoor access and park equity for communities of color and low-income communities is critical for the health and well-being of our communities, and the environment. I look forward to our continued efforts to pass the Outdoors for All Act, fight climate change, and close the nature equity gap in Latino communities and communities of color,” said Rep. Barragán. 

Senator Manchin (D-WV)

Senator Manchin played an instrumental role in the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act’s $369 billion in new funding for climate solutions and infrastructure. Additionally, his sponsorship of the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act – the most comprehensive outdoor recreation package since the Kennedy administration – is instrumental for the future of our industry and access to our public lands and waterways for the record number of outdoor participants. 

It is an honor to accept this award from the Outdoor Industry Association,” Senator Manchin said. “OIA has a strong history of advocating for America’s public lands and our beautiful outdoor spaces. As an avid outdoorsmen and son of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia, some of my proudest moments in Congress have been working to protect and conserve the American traditions of hunting, fishing, hiking and more. I look forward to continuing to work with OIA to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy and fall in love with the great outdoors as we all have, said Senator Manchin.

Representative Smith (R-NE)

Rep. Smith is a long-time champion of the outdoor economy and OIA’s balanced trade agenda. He led the effort to add travel goods to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), resulting in $300 million in duty savings annually for outdoor companies and a $5 billion shift of trade out of China.  

“I’m honored to receive this award. A strong outdoor industry needs sound trade policy to level the playing field and compete fairly in the global marketplace. We must continue to aggressively pursue American interests to the benefit of businesses, manufacturers, and consumers alike,” said Rep. Smith. 

 

Advocacy Next Steps 

Together with our fellow outdoor industry business leaders, collaborators, and Congressional supporters, we made tremendous progress on our unwavering effort to advocate for the outdoor economy, outdoor participation, and our planet.  

But our work doesn’t end here, and neither do your opportunities to get involved and be a part of the movement. 

Here’s how you can continue to use your outside voice to be an advocate wherever you are – from The Hill in D.C. to the hills in your hometown: 

Download our Advocacy Handbook: Gain insight into how OIA builds and mobilizes advocacy networks on the intersectional issues that impact our industry, and how you and your company can get involved. 

Register for our Virtual Advocacy Session on May 11, 2023: Our Government Affairs team will unveil its 2023 policy agenda, and share how you and your company can engage policy makers and support the long-term health of the outdoors, outdoor participants, and company bottom lines.  

Sign up for OIA’s policy alerts, which share timely updates on key outdoor legislation and how you can take action. 

Reach out to our Government Affairs team! Learn about OIA’s member-only networking, education, and convening opportunities that align with your outdoor company’s growth strategy; explore the option of joining one of OIA’s advisory councils; and start brainstorming how your businesses can understand and apply lobbying and advocacy actions. 

Follow us on social to stay up-to-date on policy updates and new ways to get involved. 

Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn 

More than ever, with urgency and swift action, OIA is committed to its work as a catalyst for meaningful and positive change for the outdoor industry, its people, and its planet. We’re using our outside voice to advocate for balanced trade policy; sustainable business solutions; and expanded, safe access to the outdoors for this generation and many more to come. Join us. 

 

Research Roundup: Spring 2023

Outdoor Consumers are Dreaming About Spending Their IRS Refunds 

It’s tax season, and many outdoor recreation participants expect a refund from the IRS. The IRS reports that the average refund in 2023 will be $3,140, enough to pay for things like a new bike, next year’s ski pass, camping gear, or a solar generator. Right now, while consumers wait for refunds to arrive, they are thinking about how to use them. Research in neuropsychology reveals that we experience powerful emotions when thinking about future events. This period of anticipation—when people dream about experiences they plan to have—is the perfect time to market outdoor experiences and the products associated with them, like riding a new bike on an epic trip to Moab (and all of the micro-experiences related to biking) or just hiking local trails in new boots. This is the period in which marketing is most effective because it can help consumers weave their desire for experiences into purchases of products that will enhance that experience. Outdoor consumers expecting tax refunds are dreaming right now, so tap into it and help them do more than simply imagine the experiences your products can unleash.  

Outdoor Consumers Care about Brands’ Social Stances 

The risks of taking stands on social issues include lost customers, damage to brand image, and reduced sales. On the flip side, more than half of outdoor consumers say that they do care about brands’ stances on social issues. Currently, identity politics is having an impact across the market, and this creates dangerous waters for many outdoor brands. Social Identity Theory was originally developed to explore the psychological basis of intergroup discrimination. Tajfel et al. (1971) attempted to identify minimum conditions that would lead members of one group to discriminate for the in-group to which they belonged and against another out-group. The most striking example is the current divide driven by the concept of being “woke.” Lists of woke brands are circulated by both pro and con groups signaling whether members should buy more of or “cancel” the brand. These campaigns tend to be started and amplified by the fringes that have strong feelings or gain politically by filtering everything through their identity filter. The data indicate a more reasoned response from most consumers.   

A deeper dive reveals that while these consumers care about a brand’s stance, they don’t always think brands should take positions on social or political issues. In today’s environment, that may be unavoidable. Only one-third of outdoor consumers asked said that brands should NEVER take a stand on social or political issues. While consumers expect brands to have some kind of stance on social and political issues, they don’t want the brands to be reactive. Brands may consider communicating core values that describe the fundamental beliefs and priorities of the brand. For example, a brand could talk about sustainability and climate as core values and choose not to comment on a devastating hurricane.  

 

ChatGPT is a useful tool for outdoor brands 

Recently, ChatGPT has been getting a lot attention, but what is it, and what can it do? ChatGPT is a prototype artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI, which specializes in dialogue/chat. It can write product descriptions, help you write a business plan, describe consumer segments (you have to come with data), and even help with financials. 

I couldn’t help trying it out. Here is a sample of the questions asked and the AI-generated answers: 

Question/direction:  Can you define hiking?   

ChatGPT answer:  

“Hiking is a form of outdoor activity that involves walking or trekking through natural environments, such as mountains, forests, or trails. It is often done for leisure, exercise, or to explore and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. Hiking can range from short, easy walks on well-defined trails to longer, more challenging hikes on rugged terrain and can be done alone or with a group. Hiking often involves some degree of physical exertion but can be enjoyed by people of all ages and fitness levels.” 

Question/direction: Write a business plan for heated ski poles.   

ChatGPT response:  

Sample from the Executive Summary: 

“At Heated Ski Poles, Inc., our goal is to provide skiers with the ultimate skiing experience. Our innovative heated ski poles will keep skiers’ hands warm and comfortable throughout the day, allowing them to enjoy their time on the slopes without being hindered by cold fingers. Our poles will be made of high-quality materials and feature state-of-the-art heating technology. We will offer a range of heated ski poles in different sizes and styles to accommodate the needs of all skiers.” 

This tool is a glimpse into the future of search, supercharged by machine learning and ultimately by AI. This technology has vast implications for the future of access to information. This could shake up the service economy, including financial services, logistics, supply chain management, market research, technical writing services, coding and computer programming, and many others. ChatGPT can write code, mathematical formulae, and even poetry.  

Click here to try ChatGPT 

 

Trend Spotter: “Core”  

According to the online news site Fashionista, new “core” aesthetics are showing up daily in TikTok feeds, including the previously covered “Cottage Core” and “Gorpcore” trends. Fashionista made a list that includes descriptions of each aesthetic, starting with the original “normcore,” coined to describe a unisex fashion trend in 2014 by millennials at K-Hole marketing. The point isn’t the aesthetics but rather the influence of Gen Z, in particular, and also language on how we describe aesthetics. Core is part of that trend, including:  

  • Darkcore aesthetic
  • Balletcore 
  • Cottage core 
  • Barbiecore 
  • Vacation core  

Letter from New OIA President Kent Ebersole

Dear members and fellow catalysts,

I’m so pleased to be able to share the news of my appointment to the role of President for the Outdoor Industry Association with you. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and close partnership with our Board, my dedicated staff and passionate committee members who have supported my onboarding journey over the past 7 months. Like many of you, it’s my passion for the outdoors and desire for value-based collaboration that I believe will set OIA up for success for this year and into the next decade.

I have one crystal clear priority that motivates me every day.  As OIA President, I will ensure that OIA continues to be the industry’s catalyst for meaningful change. We’re an incredibly broad reaching member-led collective that stands for positive progress in every element of the industry. But we have evolved since then to be much clearer about the value of our core pillars.

OIA’s industry-defining research is a force for change allowing you to better understand the markets and the consumers you care about. In 2023, we are launching 3 new research products & services, including new consumer reports, specialty sport reports, and consumer panels.

OIA’s tireless government affairs team is a force for collective action. There are now 16 State Offices of Recreation (OREC), and we look forward to welcoming 2 more states by the end of 2023. We won’t stop until we achieve the creation of 50 bipartisan state offices, working together to protect and sustain our water, air, land, and wildlife for current and future generations. Equally, in 2023 and until it passes, OIA is committed to seeing America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA) through, the single biggest piece of federal legislation that will increase outdoor opportunities by funding infrastructure and economic opportunities for gateway communities and underserved populations across the nation.

OIA is a force for sustainable growth. Since 2019, over 100 members have joined the Climate Action Corps committed to the work of reducing industry-wide greenhouse gas emissions. In 2023 and beyond, we are focused on enlisting at least 80% of the outdoor industry to meet an aggressive but achievable goal of becoming a climate positive industry by 2030. In addition, we are launching a brand-new program and working group, the Clean Chemistry Coalition, to swiftly meet the needs of retailers, manufacturers, and distributors for implementing a thoughtful and phased approach to eliminating PFAS and other harmful chemicals from outdoor products.

OIA is a force for inclusion. Through the Outdoor Foundation’s Thrive Outside Initiative, we continue to make multi-year investments in 13 community programs and countless leaders who already know what they need to harness the benefits of spending time outdoors. In addition to our work of shaping equitable access through legislative means, and upholding OREC’s guidance of partnering with tribal members as co-managers of natural resources, OIA is evolving inclusion initiatives through internal culture and collaborations and creating a diverse pipeline of people who can see themselves as our industry’s next product designers, testers and sustainability champions. We know that we will always have work to ensure the outdoor industry represents and serves all backgrounds and voices. But as a catalyst, we are committed to iterating for the vital success of the outdoor industry.

Finally, I see OIA as a force for connection. We are doubling down on valuable products and services and introducing new programs and offerings. We are modernizing operations and changing how we deliver membership experiences so that the information and services you want and need are timely, highly relevant, and personalized to your business. We are doing this so that you, our members, can be catalysts in your own right—sustainability champions, product innovators, community builders, climate change agents, or business leaders.

Notwithstanding the current economic climate, I believe that one of the reasons we lost momentum is because we didn’t connect the dots on how our work supports your business and the communities you care about.  But this is what catalysts do—we “connect the dots, set things in motion, and learn continually”*. The nature of catalyst work is complex and much of it is invisibly and swiftly happening behind the scenes. We are pivoting to meet the needs of your business today but always with an eye on the future horizon.

While OIA has been charting this map for a minute, 30 minutes of years to be exact, we’re going to need your boots on the ground to help tread the path. To those of you who have been members for years and years, thank you for continuing to align your business commitments with our values. For those of you that have recently joined OIA, let me be the first to extend a very warm welcome. Your voice and support are just what this industry needs to make better and do better.

Together, we are a member-led collective and the industry’s catalyst for meaningful change.

Kent Ebersole
President
Outdoor Industry Association

Confluence Summit in Alaska Highlights Equity and Active Transportation 

Written by Alaska Outdoor Alliance (AOA) Executive Director Lee Hart

Nearly 80 outdoor industry stakeholders and allies traveled by plane and ferry and across the Canadian border to take part in Alaska Outdoor Alliance’s 7th Annual Confluence: Summit on the Outdoor Recreation Economy, held in Haines last month. 

Key state and federal leaders participating in the event before and after their brief remarks included Sen. Lisa Murkowski; Raina Thiele, senior advisor to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland for Alaska Affairs & Strategic Priorities; and Julia Hnilicka, USDA Rural Development state director. 

This year’s theme, regenerative economies, attracted leaders in outdoor; tourism; economic development; and local, state, territorial, tribal and federal land managers, as well as counterparts from the Yukon. A subgroup of attendees pledged to continue collaborating on transboundary economic development priorities. Another subgroup has already met to form the foundation of a statewide active transportation coalition.  

“From the Arctic to the Tongass, there are incredible efforts literally transforming local economies and ways of connecting with the outdoors that are being guided by Indigenous wisdom and values,” said AOA Executive Director Lee Hart. “Confluence facilitated candid, passionate conversations among participants that led to a list of action steps aimed at co-creating a more regenerative future.” 

Unique to many industry gatherings, Confluence was co-presented by the Chilkoot Indian Association, which hosted a salmon bake, after which participants shared stories highlighting centuries-old relationships with land, water, fish, wildlife, and ancestors. On the last stormy day of the event, the nearby Chilkat Indian Village gifted a special, personalized tour of their Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center, a network helping to address the pressing issue of where to put precious clan treasures and the villagers’ desire to rebuild and restore their cultural heritage.