Dear TCA Supporters,
I’m thrilled to be writing to you from my new role as the Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance and look forward to connecting with all of you more as I continue to settle in. I’ve learned so much during my first month on the job, and I’ve been truly inspired by our team, and their dedication to our mission and work.
While I’m new to this role, I’ve had the pleasure to work with TCA in various capacities for a decade. My first lobbying experience was the D.C. Fly-In in 2014 and more recently I had the great pleasure of working closely with TCA on the Mobilizing for Monuments Road Trip last year. For this amazing project, I spent a week on the road with TCA staff, driving from Colorado to California, engaging in meaningful conversations with members, grantees, conservation partners and Board of Directors. This adventure solidified my understanding of the breadth of TCA’s work, and the impacts it has on communities and conservation.
I’m stepping in at an important time in the evolution of the organization. We’re racing toward the finish line on a number of critical land and water conservation projects while also being attuned to a level of uncertainty as the election looms. Inclusivity and access to public land and outdoor recreation remain a priority for our industry and we’re expanding our work in public lands advocacy, exploring new ways we can amplify the business voice for conservation, and looking at ways to grow our membership and fundraising efforts. All of this circles back to our new five-year strategic plan, which we are rigorously writing to help answer a question that is always top of mind for myself and the rest of the team: How do we strengthen our impact on conservation for future generations?
We have an opportunity right now to take TCA and our collective work to a new level, and I’m honored that the staff and board trust me to lead the organization into its next chapter. I look forward to working with every single one of you to make it happen.
Thank you, and please read on for more updates from TCA this month.
Paul Hendricks
Executive Director
The Conservation Alliance
Congratulations to the 2024 Outstanding Partnership Award winners
Each year, TCA’s Outstanding Partnership Awards recognize member companies that have provided an elevated level of support and partnership to grantees working to protect outdoor spaces, support local communities, and expand access to outdoor recreation.
The 2024 Awards go to four member companies – Rogue Heart Media, Osprey, Mystery Ranch, and Flickr. These like-minded brands help TCA harness the power of businesses and outdoor communities to protect North America’s cherished wild places and outdoor spaces.
TCA Celebrates Huge Conservation Victory in Alaska
On August 27th, Secretary of Interior Haaland announced the Record of Decision to permanently protect all 28 million acres of Alaska’s D1 lands. This decision will safeguard Alaska Native cultural and subsistence uses, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation access for generations to come.
Leveraging our collective voice and partnerships with on-the-ground Alaska Native Tribes, grantees, and partners, the Conservation Alliance has ensured that our business members have engaged with leaders in Washington, D.C. to advocate for D-1 lands protection for the benefit of future generations. We are incredibly proud of the leadership role we played over the last three years in this campaign. Congratulations to our members and partners!
Last Chance: Sign Your Company Up for We Keep It Wild
We Keep it Wild is a week-long campaign during which participating companies will donate 5% of their online revenue to TCA. The fall 2024 campaign will be October 24 – 30. Our upcoming #WeKeepItWild campaign is an opportunity for your business to amplify your commitment to conservation at a critically important time and get much needed resources into the hands of community leaders and TCA grantees working day in and day out to protect wild places and outdoor spaces.
If interested, please complete this form by September 27th.
Grantee Spotlight: Chesapeake Conservancy and Rappahannock Tribe
In 2023, TCA awarded a grant to Chesapeake Conservancy in support of the project, “Rappahannock Return to the River: Restoring Tribal Land for Conservation.” The funding was to support the acquisition of a 703-acre property at Fones Cliff above the Rappahannock River in Virginia. Once acquired, this land will be returned to the Tribe for their stewardship under a co-management arrangement with US Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS). Fones Cliffs is a critical habitat for resident and migratory bald eagles and other birds, and is an incredible location for birders, hikers, and boaters to explore, while learning about the history and conservation efforts of the Tribe.
TCA welcomes fishing industry leaders
From line and reel manufacturers, to apparel companies, seven fishing brands have joined TCA this year, including Abel, Airflo, Emerger Strategies, Dyna King, Rare Waters, Ross Reels, and Simms. The angling community has always been invested in conservation. Healthy waterways are not only critical to business, but are critical to their way of life. In joining forces with TCA, these companies will have an outsized impact in conserving the special outdoor spaces that millions of anglers across North America depend on for their sport.
