The Conservation Alliance released our 2015 Annual Report this week, providing an overview of the organization’s accomplishments last year. During the year, we contributed a record $1.6 million to 43 conservation organizations throughout North America. The report also includes a summary of the 11 conservation victories Conservation Alliance grantees secured in 2015, protecting 1.1 million acres of land and 13 river miles, acquiring one climbing area, and removing two dams.
It is exciting to tally our results at the end of each year, and 2015 was productive on every front. Thanks to our member companies, we gave away a record amount to organizations that get the job done. Because of those organizations, we celebrate the protection of special wild places from New York to Oregon, and many places in between.
In addition to the funding success, The Conservation Alliance added 27 new members. Each member company pays annual dues into a central fund, and we contribute 100 percent of those dues to conservation organizations.
We continue to attract great companies, large and small, to our organization. We take this growth as a sign that brands value our model of companies working together to protect the wild places so important to their customers.
The Conservation Alliance also hosted six Backyard Collective stewardship projects, and five Wild Drinks gatherings. These events bring employees of member companies together with grantees for a day of field work, or for informational happy hours.
Through our Advocacy Program, The Conservation Alliance provided 17 opportunities for member companies to become directly engaged in the conservation work of grantees. Activities included training business leaders in conservation policy and meeting with Congressional and Obama Administration representatives to explain why conservation is important to outdoor businesses.
We plan to build on our success in 2015 to have an even better year in 2016.