Making A Difference
By Amelia Arvesen
Along the lush swamp forests and pristine white sand bars of the Black Scenic River, rare species like the American chaffseed herb and swallow-tailed kite bird thrive. The free-flowing river rushes 150 mile past forests and farmlands in South Carolina before spilling its tea-colored waters into the Atlantic Ocean.This body of water not only serves as a rich re-source for the area’s ecosystem, but it’s also a favorite for paddlers and anglers.
The Open Space Institute is just one of the organizations working to protect the area and preserve it for public access by establishing the new Black River State Park and Water Trail.Once formalized, it would be South Carolina’s first wilderness-quality, riverine park.
More than 2,000 miles to the west inSoutheastern Utah, two red rock buttes tower over a vast undeveloped land full of desert sage, indigo bush, and history. The area is precious to the Native people of the land, and the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition is completing the Tribally-led Land Management plan for 1.9 million acres to include land-management practices informed by Indigenous perspectives and values.
“At the primacy of all of our activities is to place the voices of our member tribes at the front and center—this allows for the autonomy they deserve and the exercise of true self-determination,” says Patrick Gonzales-Rogers, executive director of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition. “The Conservation Alliance under-stands this and knows this results in meaningful and productive land management.”
These two projects by the institute and the coalition are among 26 organizations awarded grants by The Conservation Alliance, which gave a record $1,118,000 during its winter giving cycle. Many grantees are Indigenous-led conservation projects, as well as multi-year initiatives. Grant went to Outdoor Afro, Honor the Earth, The Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Yellowstone-to-Yukon, and Alaska Wilderness League.
“We are working to expand the types of organizations we fund, while doubling-down on our commitment to protect threatened and iconic landscapes,” says Brady Robinson, executive director at The Conservation Alliance. “We hope that financial support, combined with our advocacy efforts, will help these organizations succeed.”
The Conservation Alliance’s funding comes from membership dues collected from more than 250 businesses. In each grant cycle, member companies are invited to nominate Indigenous groups, organizations with a history of collaborating with diverse partners, and grassroots groups working to protect wild places.
Learn more atconservationalliance.org
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