The Conservation Alliance Hosts Upcoming Backyard Collective in Portland

Bend, Ore. (August 18, 2015) — The Conservation Alliance will hold its fourth Backyard Collective event of 2015 on Thursday, August 20, in Portland, Oregon. The Conservation Alliance and its Portland area member companies are teaming up with Forest Park Conservancy, Human Access Project, Johnson Creek Watershed Council, and Portland Parks Foundation, to organize a day of trail work and restoration in multiple sites around the Portland area.

More than 350 volunteers are expected to participate with employee representatives from Conservation Alliance member companies, including: Columbia, Icebreaker, Keen, Merrell, Nau, Noto Group, The North Face, and Yakima. Conservation Alliance grantees Oregon Wild, Western Rivers Conservancy, and Wild Salmon Center, will participate in a lunchtime volunteer fair along with 1% for the Planet, SOLVE and The Forest Park Conservancy.

“Our membership with The Conservation Alliance is an integral part of who we are as a brand,” said Jason McGibbon, Global Senior Director of Sales for Yakima Products Inc., based in Beaverton. “We love the opportunity for our employees to make an impact in our local Portland community, as well as to spend the day with other like-minded outdoor industry companies.”

The Portland Backyard Collective will begin on Thursday, August 20 at 8:30 a.m. Following the stewardship activities, volunteers will return to Wallace Park for a catered lunch and the volunteer fair.

“Columbia is truly honored to participate in The Conservation Alliance Backyard Collective,” said Scott Welch, Global Corporate Relations Manager for Columbia Sportswear. “This event unites our industry neighbors in Portland, allows us to give back in a meaningful way, and truly demonstrates the impact and mission of the Conservation Alliance.”

The Conservation Alliance is a group of outdoor industry companies that fund conservation organizations. The Alliance launched the Backyard Collective Program in 2008 to connect individuals in the outdoor industry with the work of organizations that receive financial support from the group. The Backyard Collective moves that action to the field, and gives people a venue to get their “hands dirty” for the sake of conservation.

“At this year's Backyard Collective, the Forest Park Conservancy is thrilled to put over 150 outdoor industry volunteers to good use in Forest Park, the best backyard in Portland, while another 200 employees volunteer with other organizations around Portland. We couldn't maintain the trails or enhance the habitat of this remarkable urban forest without such strong support from our community,” said Renee Myers, Executive Director of the Forest Park Conservancy

“The Portland Backyard Collective is an event we look forward to each year! With such strong member participation, we are able to reach across the Rose City and participate in the stewardship projects of four diverse organizations,” said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance.

The Conservation Alliance plans to organize additional Backyard Collectives this year in Bend, and Boulder, Colo. For more information about this event, please contact events coordinator, Brook Hopper at brook@conservationalliance.com, or 805-340-5034.

About The Conservation Alliance:

The Conservation Alliance is an organization of outdoor businesses whose collective contributions support grassroots environmental organizations and their efforts to protect wild places where outdoor enthusiasts recreate. Alliance funds have played a key role in protecting rivers, trails, wildlands and climbing areas.

Membership in the Alliance is open to companies representing all aspects of the outdoor industry, including manufacturers, retailers, publishers, mills and sales representatives. The result is a diverse group of businesses whose livelihood depends on protecting our natural environment.

Since its inception in 1989, the Alliance has contributed more than $15 million to grassroots conservation groups. Alliance funding has helped save more than 44 million acres of wildlands; protect 2,945 miles of rivers; stop or remove 26 dams; designate five marine reserves; and purchase 10 climbing areas.

For complete information on The Conservation Alliance, please visit:www.conservationalliance.com.