News

The President’s budget would slash funding for parks and public lands, sideline the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and apparently privatize some National Parks.

From land sell-offs to slashed ranger staffing, a new spending bill is attacking public lands in ways that will directly impact outdoor recreation—and it’s not too late to speak up.

20 grasstops outdoor recreation leaders from across the country will receive six months of advocacy and recreation policy training, in order to champion conservation priorities. 

Byron Harvison is a rock climber, veteran, lawyer, and serves as general counsel and director of advocacy at the American Alpine Club. Learn more about how his passion for rock climbing has helped other veterans overcome hardship through recreation and outdoor advocacy.

In April, Outdoor Alliance California participated in the 40th annual California Trails and Greenways Conference that brings together trail professionals, stewards, and recreation staff from across the state.

Amidst meetings with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, there was a flurry of outreach to legislators from the outdoor community — including more than 100,000 letters to lawmakers from Outdoor Alliance.

The outdoor community got land sales out of the Republicans’ megabill, which passed overnight. However, the bill will still devastate public lands and waters.

Voluntary buyouts, early retirements, and hiring freezes are hollowing out the agencies that keep public lands open and accessible.

Lawmakers just advanced a massive budget bill with last-minute land sell-offs, attacks on NEPA, and conservation rollbacks. Here’s what outdoor recreationists need to know.

A proposed reconciliation package would gut protections for public lands and waters while allowing industry to bypass environmental protections and the public process.

Senators have introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the Legacy Restoration Fund, a program that has helped repair trails, campgrounds, and infrastructure at parks and public lands. Without action from Congress, this essential fund will expire in September 2025.

The announcement, intended to boost timber production and address wildfire risk, will have consequences for outdoor recreation on National Forests.

Press Release: Outdoor Recreation Organizations and Businesses Call on Congress to Fund Recreation on America’s Public Lands.

In the face of renewed threats to public lands, the leaders of Outdoor Alliance’s coalition joined in Washington, D.C. to meet with lawmakers and agency officials. Our message was clear: human-powered recreation needs healthy, protected public lands—and these places must remain in public hands.

Congress is considering selling off public lands to raise revenue as part of budget reconciliation—sparking overwhelming response from the outdoor community.

Kyle McCrohan is the founder of the Cascade Backcountry Alliance. Kyle grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is a passionate runner, skier, and climber who cares about advocating for access to the sports he enjoys. He is also a part of Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective.

Outdoor Alliance has published its 2024 annual report. The report speaks to efforts made throughout last year in helping secure major conservation wins, including the protection of millions of acres of land and water.

Over the weekend, the administration rolled back several Biden-era environmental regulations and briefly included in a fact sheet plans to strip protections from nearly a million acres of national monuments.

Led by Outdoor Alliance, 120 outdoor recreation organizations and businesses are calling on U.S. lawmakers and the Trump Administration to reverse staffing cuts at land management agencies. 

What happens when you take passionate outdoor leaders and train them to be expert advocates? A new force for public lands protection. A reflection on the first year of Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Cohort.

Traci Berry is the Northwoods Trails Coordinator. She is a lover of the outdoors and all things adventure. She is also a part of Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective, a leadership and advocacy program that trains leaders in the outdoor community to build relationships with policymakers and advocate for conservation priorities.