Ever wondered how you can do more for public lands but you aren’t sure where to start? Outdoor Alliance’s Outdoor Allies series explores how other outdoor adventurers got their start in advocacy work and their advice for how you can harness your passion for the outdoors into advocacy for the land and water you love. Daniela Zavala is the Communications Director for HECHO and an Emmy Award–winning journalist who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, she is passionate about protecting public lands and inspiring Hispanic communities to connect with nature and engage in conservation.

What do you like to do outside and how did you first get connected with the outdoors?

Whether I’m hiking or camping solo or with my family, going on long trail runs, or simply spending time at a neighborhood park playing with my son, I simply love being outdoors. Even when I plan family vacations, I’m always drawn to places where we can immerse ourselves in nature and explore natural wonders together.

My connection to the outdoors began in childhood, growing up in a small town in Venezuela. Afternoons were spent outside with friends, climbing trees, picking fruit, and discovering the world through play in nature. On weekends, my family often traveled to the coast, where long days on the beach and tropical landscapes left memories that I still cherish. Later, when I moved to Caracas, the outdoors became part of my daily routine. Before classes or work, I would hike the Sabas Nieves trail in El Ávila, the iconic mountain range that separates the city from the Caribbean Sea and holds deep meaning for Venezuelans. That love for nature traveled with me when I moved to the United States in 2002, and it has only deepened since settling in Arizona, where access to public lands is vast and the landscapes are endlessly inspiring.

What led to your work at your current organization/in your current role?

Before joining Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO), I worked as a television reporter in a Spanish language network and, earlier in my career, as a communications lead for major entertainment companies. That background gave me experience both as a journalist and on the other side of the media relationship, pitching stories and shaping narratives.

While I loved reporting, becoming a mother motivated me to seek a role with a more predictable schedule, so I decided to return to communications. When a friend shared the opening for Communications Director at HECHO, it immediately felt like a perfect fit, combining my professional skills with my passion for the outdoors and my commitment to the Hispanic community. It was truly a dream job. It allows me to use storytelling as a tool for protecting public lands, while elevating Latino voices and strengthening connections to nature. In my role, I oversee HECHO’s editorial content, social media, media outreach, and monthly newsletter, helping advance our mission through impactful communications.

What are the big advocacy issues you have been working on, and how did you get involved in them?

My advocacy work is deeply connected to HECHO’s conservation campaigns, particularly those affecting the Southwest. Some of our key focus areas include forest management and wildfire reduction, land management, water conservation, and protecting culturally and ecologically significant landscapes.

The Southwest is experiencing one of its driest winters on record, dramatically increasing the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Hispanic communities have deep, generations-old ties to these lands and depend on them for their livelihoods, cultural traditions, recreation, and community well-being. As wildfire threats grow, it is critical that we invest in proactive mitigation and strengthen balanced forest management, forestry personnel, and prevention efforts. We are advocating for restored funding and staffing for public lands, including National Parks, which have been impacted by budget and personnel cuts. Protecting these landscapes is vital to safeguard the communities, and natural resources that define the region.

Water conservation is another critical issue. “Agua es vida” (water is life) especially in the Southwest. HECHO has been a strong advocate for Colorado River resiliency, as this watershed supplies water to more than 40 million people, including one-third of the Latino population in the United States. Additionally, while we recognize that mining can play a role in our economy, we firmly believe there are places too precious to mine, such as the Grand Canyon, and Oak Flat in Arizona, as well as the Upper Pecos in New Mexico. We actively work to protect these landscapes due to their cultural, ecological, recreational, and economic importance.

What would you tell someone who is looking to get more involved in protecting the places they love/outdoor advocacy, but doesn’t know where to start?

Start by learning more about the places you love or visit often, especially those close to home. It’s easy to assume that everything is protected, when in reality, many beloved landscapes face serious threats.

For example, I’ve visited the Grand Canyon almost every year and even hiked it rim to rim since I moved to Arizona in 2014. Yet it wasn’t until I began working at HECHO (2022) that I learned about uranium mining claims encroaching on the recreation economy there and the potential risks of water contamination. It was shocking to realize that a natural wonder of the world could be put at risk. That knowledge was what transformed me from a visitor into an advocate, and I only wish I had learned about it sooner.

There are many local and national organizations doing incredible work, and we now have access to information right in our phones. Take the time to learn, and when something resonates with you, connect with the organization working on that issue. Getting involved can look many different ways, including signing a petition, volunteering, spreading the word, donating, or contacting your elected representatives. Every action matters.

Is there anything else that feels important about your work, what you've learned, what you think people should know about advocacy, or about the particular issues you work on that you'd like to share?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that advocacy only works when people choose to get involved. Too often, we assume someone else will take care of the problem, or that making a difference requires more time or expertise than we have. In reality, everyone has something valuable to contribute.

In today’s polarized world, it’s also essential that we spend more time outdoors, not only to connect with nature, but to connect with each other. Our natural world impacts all of us, regardless of political beliefs or personal backgrounds. Caring for our planet, our resources, and our communities should not be optional, it’s a shared responsibility.

I’m proud to work for an organization that approaches conservation in a collaborative, bipartisan way, grounded in honest and respectful dialogue. At HECHO, we work across political divides to find common ground and shared values around responsible stewardship of land and water. We need more dialogue and less division, in conservation and beyond.

Learn more about Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) and follow their work on social media: Facebook Instagram

Lightning round (one or two word answers):

Most used piece of gear: Hiking boots, and my tent

A place you want to go: I dream of visiting Antarctica

Another advocate you admire: Max Trujillo is a HECHO Advisory Board member, San Miguel County Commissioner, hunter and conservationist, who has worked on campaigns that have helped protect over a million acres of land and water

Favorite close to home spot: White Pocket, Arizona

Outdoor Allies: Daniela Zavala