Advocacy for the Outdoors
REI believes that supporting the outdoors can take many forms, including ensuring that our nation's policymakers know that a strong, engaged constituency exists in support of our public lands. As a business, REI is in a unique position to merge our business interests with our company's mission to inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. We pursue this work through active engagement in public policy forums and direct lobbying at the state and federal level.
In 2007 REI representatives participated in supporting the launch of the National Park Service's Centennial celebration efforts. The Centennial Challenge campaign was launched in 2006 to help prepare the National Park System for its 100th Anniversary Celebration in 2016. This included an REI executive participating in the announcement of the President's budget proposal for the Centennial initiative and involvement in a Department of Interior visioning session for the Centennial. Our work on the Centennial Challenge, and supporting budget allocations and authorizing legislation continues as a company priority in 2008.
REI also joined the Outdoor Industry Association in 2007 to lobby on behalf of important recreational funding programs. This included winning $30 million for the state-side portion of the Land Water Conservation Fund and enhanced funding for the Bureau of Land Management's National Landscape Conservation System.
REI and three company leaders also joined the National Forum on Children and Nature. This national forum is working to identify 20 significant pilot projects that will help re-engage young people with the outdoors. Final grants will be reviewed and committed in 2008.
On the state level, REI supported two main engagements. First was the company's ongoing engagement and leadership in the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition. The WWRC is a broad-based coalition of governmental agencies, nonprofits and business working together to support legislative passage of a capital budget that supports recreational lands, habitat and farms. Through the efforts of the coalition, a $100 million budget for the WWRC was signed by the Governor for the 2007-2008 biennium.
In Oregon REI provided $10,000 toward the public education effort for "Yes on Measure 49." The measure was designed to support planned development and the ability to protect farm land, forests and natural area.
