When REI’s new CEO Mary Beth Laughton recently apologized and retracted its endorsement of Doug Burgum, the newly appointed U.S. Secretary of the Interior who has since signed orders to explore opening public lands up to fossil fuel production, among other issues, it caught the attention of thousands of people. While many cheered her statement, not all of the attention has been positive.
“So this is lovely and all – but y’all made the bed,” said one commenter on Laughton’s Instagram post. “Get on in there with Target and enjoy the loss of sales,” they said, referring to criticism of Target’s decision to scale back its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
To say that political discussions these days, especially those happening online, are fraught is an understatement. REI is one of more than 60 brands, retailers, PR firms, and other outdoor industry stakeholders that are backing the Conservation Alliance’s new Brands for Public Lands group, which launched last week.
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“While local organizations, Tribal groups, and NGOs have mobilized to take action in support of public lands protections in previous months – showcasing that public lands are widely valued across ideology, demographics, and geography – the business community has largely remained quiet,” said the press release announcing the group. “Until now.”
While many brands are members of the Outdoor Industry Association, which has its own agenda addressing issues such as conservation, sustainability, and trade, some wondered why there weren’t more company names attached to the first two letters sent to legislators by the Conservation Alliance.
Keeping Lands Public
The first, which was signed by 45 companies, including REI, Patagonia, Black Diamond Equipment, Burton, Fjällräven North America, Toad&Co., La Sportiva, Oboz, and more, urged Congress and the Trump administration to ensure that public lands remain publicly owned and accessible, and emphasized that the majority of Americans support protecting public lands. The letter also noted that the $1.2 trillion outdoor industry depends on public lands for its existence.
“From the unique perspective of the business community, we see first-hand as our customers visit public lands and drive economic growth that is reliant on consistent and safe access to protected public lands and waters,” the letter said. “In addition, as employers, we have seen the incredible benefits of access to public lands and recreation as a key recruitment and retention tool for not only the outdoor industry, but for companies of all sizes in technology, finance, and more.”
The second letter, to Secretary Doug Burgum, was signed by 48 companies, including some of those named above, as well as Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, Osprey Packs, NEMO Equipment, and more.
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“As businesses that rely on public lands to generate sustainable economic vitality, we strongly urge the Trump administration and Secretary Burgum to adhere to the long-established precedent of soliciting and considering public input before making any significant decisions about the management of our federal public lands,” it says. “Of particular concern are Executive and Secretarial Orders around the rollback of protections on key landscapes such as National Monuments, mineral withdrawals on iconic landscapes, and staffing and resourcing to effectively manage our public lands and waters.”
Amy Beck, the president of Bozeman, Montana-based Oboz, said the state’s two national parks, Yellowstone and Glacier, as well as its 30 million acres of state and federal lands, support more than 30,000 jobs, according to Wild Montana. And nationally, public lands contribute to the overall economy and GDP, she said.
“This wouldn’t be the case if there aren’t incredible landscapes to explore and places to roam,” Beck said.
Public lands are cherished both by Oboz’s customers and the overall local community in Montana.
“As a brand we believe that the best way to work through challenges is through cooperation,” Beck said. “The Brands for Public Lands is a way for our industry to collectively work together and protect these wild places and ensure that they can be enjoyed for generations to come.”
Hosting Town Halls
It wasn’t a difficult decision for the owners of Roads Rivers and Trails (RRT), an Ohio-based outdoor specialty retailer, to get involved in the group and work to protect public lands, which have been subjected to budget cuts and workforce layoffs by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), said co-owner Bryan Wolf. After all, the small retailer has always put its values before profits, and said it is even in the process of becoming the first outdoor specialty retailer to achieve B-Corp certification.
In addition to signing on with Brands for Public Lands, the store is encouraging its customers to get involved in advocacy and letter-writing campaigns as well. There are signs by the cash register, social media posts, and emails that go out to customers raising awareness of the issues. But Wolf admits he was apprehensive about hosting a town hall on the topic earlier this month because political conversations can be so difficult to navigate these days.
But with the support of non-profit group Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, which also introduced a new swath of locals to the RRT community, and by laying down firm ground rules about how to have a respectful discussion at the beginning of the event, Wolf said the town hall demonstrated that protecting public lands isn’t controversial.
“We were able to bring in a very diverse number of people from different political affiliations even, and have a conversation, and that’s so hard to do nowadays,” Wolf said. Attendees agreed that protecting the environment and protecting public lands and access to them was important to them. “It was energizing to connect on that level and see that we all agree with a lot more than we disagree with, especially in regard to public lands.”
Is Public Lands Advocacy a Risk to Business?
Despite the bipartisan support for protecting public lands, it can be difficult to get representatives of brands to comment publicly on the topic.
Dave Simpson, a partner and senior director at Verde Brand Communications, said brands and retailers are eager to speak up about public lands through advocacy, but are also likely concerned about potential impacts to business, which is already enduring challenges with tariffs, low investment and previously with issues such as inflation and high interest rates.
“In a number of group calls we’ve been on, people are encouraging brands and retailers alike to reach out to their Congressional representatives around their concerns, and there seems to be interest in doing so,” he said. “In terms of a lack of visibility of brands or retailers making their voices heard at the public level or not signing on to a particular effort, it’s likely a result of a fairly singular focus on being prepared to navigate potential impacts to business rather than a reluctance to speak up around concerns about tariffs or the idea of selling public lands.”
Greg Williams, president of Backbone Media. Photo courtesy of Backbone Media.
A recent survey of 4,000 Americans showed that 74% oppose the closure of national public lands, and 71% oppose selling public lands, according to a new report by non-profit Trust for Public Land.
Greg Williams, president of Backbone Media, which represents clients in outdoor, hunting, fishing, snowsports, off-road, boating, and more, said he’s learned through his work that protecting public lands isn’t a political issue.
“All user groups benefit from recreating outdoors,” he said. “The outdoor industry is a sustainable, $1.2 trillion industry. Pristine public lands are a truly renewable resource, a gift that keeps giving not just for the human experience but also for the economies of the states, in perpetuity. There may not be a single better performing investment in the long run.”
Brands, retailers, and other stakeholders can still get involved in Brands for Public Lands.
“We’re not here to point fingers, but we’re here to elevate their importance and to protect them for generations to come,” said Paul Hendricks, the executive director of Conservation Alliance, in the video inviting more companies to join the group. “We hope you join us.”
Kate Robertson can be reached at kate@shop-eat-surf-outdoor.com.
