Conservation Projects

REI's grant program seeks to engage communities in active stewardship of the environment. We want to ensure that we take care of the outdoor places where we love to play. Therefore, our grant funding encourages volunteer stewardship of public lands and waterways where people enjoy outdoor recreation.

Below are several examples of grants that REI funded in 2007. During 2007, REI funded 360 groups for an annual total of $3.5 million in grants. For more information about the groups listed below, please click on the names of the organizations.

• Beltline Partnership
• Atlanta, GA $7200
• The Beltline Partnership is reclaiming the railway corridors circling Atlanta's downtown and transforming these stretches into a 22-mile continuous loop of linear parks, pedestrian trails, and transit that will ultimately connect 45 Atlanta neighborhoods. The BeltLine initiative seeks to protect greenspace and provide transit alternatives in the Atlanta area. In October, in partnership with other Atlanta community non-profits and City agencies, they kicked off the beginning of their trail development and clean up days and cleared the first mile of trail in the BeltLine. Participating volunteers will be informed of future trail days and will serve as 'Ambassadors' for future trail development and community efforts aimed at furthering the efforts of the BeltLine partnership. Funds from REI will provide tools and T-shirts for volunteers and mechanical weed removal to facilitate the efforts of the volunteers.

• Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation
• Harrisburg, PA $5,000
• Blue Knob State Park contains over 6,000 acres of forested lands situated in a variety of terrain at the foothills of the Allegheny front. The park has a high diversity of plant and wildlife and many recreational opportunities for residents of the region. Blue Knob, the namesake for the park, is the second highest mountain in Pennsylvania. The park has campgrounds, picnic areas, group cabins, and many miles of multi-use trails. Through this project the Blue Knob State Park will help develop an overlook area at the end of a family friendly and ADA trail nearby one of the parks campgrounds. Funds from REI will be used to purchase the stone and blocks needed to build the viewing structure which will be done with the support of volunteers and in coordination with the REI Bedford Distribution Center team.

• Youth Science Institute
• Los Gatos (South Bay Area), CA $10,000
• Youth Science Institute Institute inspires enthusiasm for science, a love of learning, and stewardship of the earth in 30,000 pre-K through 12th grade students each year. YSI teaches kids science and stewardship at YSI's three park-based Science and Nature Centers. These lessons are complemented by curriculum that is presented in the classroom and on the trail. REI's funds will support the delivery of several YSI programs: the Five Senses Nature Walk, Discovery Nature Walk, and Creek Exploration. REI conservation projects will provide additional support for YSI's Science and Nature Centers and native plant trail.

• Northwest Youth Corps
• Eugene, OR $5,000
• The Northwest Youth Corps' YouthWorks program provides the opportunity for 150 youth to complete conservation projects and benefit from outdoor education and recreation in a fun and supportive environment. Youth participants complete up to 6,750 hours of service in an effort to improve local conservation and recreational resources. Each week, participants and crewleaders also spend 10 hours on field-based education and recreation. Youth and local volunteers will participate in a hands-on service project at Elijah Bristow, the nearest State Park to Eugene, which is used by many local residents. Improvements to this park will benefit the thousands of park visitors each year. REI funds will provide scholarships for low-income youth to participate int the YouthWorks program.

• WiLDCOAST
• Imperial Beach, CA $10,000
• WiLDCOAST's Clean Water Border Campaign will encourage safe outdoor recreation and teach environmental stewardship to underserved youth threatened by pollution from the Tijuana River in the U.S./Mexico border region. The Campaign will carry-out water quality health education and outreach while recruiting new clean water advocates and increase their leadership capacity. Project participants will be primarily low-income Latino youth from South Bay San Diego and Tijuana. WiLDCOAST will partner with other stakeholder groups in the region, including REI, to carry out Clean Water Border Campaign events and activities, including water quality education and outreach. REI funds will support coordination and implementation of the Campaign.

• Santa Fe Mountain Center
• Tesuque, NM $5,173
• The Santa Fe Mountain Center is dedicated to achieving personal discovery and social change among youth, families, and groups through the use of creative learning experiences in wilderness, community, and cultural environments. Through their Emergence Program they work with Pueblo and Indian youth and communities and utilize adventure-based activities to meet the needs of the youth. Through challenging outdoor activities such as snowshoeing, hiking, rock climbing, and backcountry expeditions they seek to strengthen positive development and social competencies in these youth. They have partnered with the Sierra Club's Building Bridges to the Outdoors Initiative and the National No Child Left Inside movement and are reaching a diverse population throughout the state. The youth learn Leave No Trace skills, risk/safety management, and learn to become environmental stewards. Funds from REI provide them with outdoor gear and apparel for use by youth participating in this and other programs they implement.

• Friends of Rock Creek's Environment (FORCE)
• Washington, DC $5,000
• FORCE works to promote a healthy and sustainable Rock Creek Watershed through conservation, education and restoration. Rock Creek flows through the heart of Washington, D.C. and is seen as a wonderful local treasure by residents all over the region. The surrounding Rock Creek Park offers hiking, biking and a wealth of other recreational opportunities. Funds from REI supported FORCE's efforts to inform and educate area residents about pollution threats to Rock Creek and empower them to find remedies.

• Sudbury Valley Trustees
• Sudbury, MA $5,000
• The Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT) is a voluntary organization committed to protecting the wildlife habitat and ecological integrity of Sudbury and related river systems in Massachussets. SVT has over 100 volunteers that assist with trail maintenance and other stewardship activities. With REI's support, SVT's volunteers conducted a variety of trail and access improvements at the Crane Swamp Conservation Area. These trails link over 40 miles of existing trails in the four surrounding communities. Grant funds also supported the devolopment of trail map brochures and a variety of other educational resources for the area.

• Carolina Climbers Coalition
• Raleigh, NC $25,000
• Carolina Climbers Coalition's (CCC) mission is to preserve existing climbing areas, promote education and safety in climbing and engage the climbing community in stewardship efforts. REI partnered with the CCC to reach its goal of opening Laurel Knob, the tallest rock face in Eastern America, to public recreation while protecting the wild, scenic and unique natural attributes of the area. REI's support helped establish safe climbing routes and ecologically-sensitive access to the face.