Each year we invite Conservation Alliance grantees from the past three funding cycles to nominate member companies for an Outstanding Partnership Award. The award recognizes member companies that go above and beyond in building relationships with Conservation Alliance grantees. Each nomination describes how the company engaged in a meaningful partnership to help the organization succeed in its conservation work. Celebrating these partnerships is a reflection of the community we have helped to build and exemplifies “Outdoor businesses giving back to the Outdoors.” Dan Morse, Conservation Director at Oregon Natural Desert Association, nominated KEEN Footwear for providing outstanding support to the Owyhee Canyonlands Campaign. Dan shares his partnership story below.
It would be difficult to imagine a company making a stronger commitment to conservation than Keen has over the last year. Above and beyond the company’s ingrained conservation ethic and ongoing support for organizations like ONDA, this year Keen upped the ante for conservation across the country with it’s Live Monumental campaign. For the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) and the Owyhee Coalition this effort brought critical attention and support to the campaign to permanently protect the Owyhee Canyonlands. And Live Monumental brought equally helpful and appreciated support to four other conservation efforts across the country.
Keen’s efforts for the Owyhee Canyonlands through Live Monumental were and continue to be truly monumental. Kirk, Kirsten, Chris, Linda and a host of others worked tirelessly to increase the reach of communications about the Owyhee, to educate elected officials and to help people across the country learn about the Owyhee. Keen’s work reached not only recreationists, but people from all walks of life who then made their voices heard in support of permanently protecting the Owyhee Canyonlands.
Whether driving a slow, bright yellow RV across the country bringing attention to conservation or actively participating in community meetings, countless conference calls or trips to D.C. Keen showed up for the Owyhee and other areas in huge ways over the past year. The true reward for this tireless work is the successful permanent protection of several of the Live Monumental campaigns and, we hope, at least one more…
That said there could hardly be a company or group of individuals more worthy of recognition for their efforts on behalf of conservation this year. ONDA is deeply appreciative of their commitment and incredibly proud to nominate Keen Footwear for the Conservation Alliance Outstanding Partnership Award.
