Public Land Privatization, What We Can Do

[brewer427]

100 CEOs Unite for Public Lands - REI Co-op Journal

This is a great first step in big name companies telling the Feds how they feel about the potential sell off of public lands.

 

[BroodBuster]

Maybe this will end the silliness of some here that insist REI is anti hunting....

"Together, we represent a huge range of activities – from hiking to hunting and camping to conservation."

Nice seeing FirstLite signed this. It'd be cool if I could buy their stuff off an REI rack.

 

[rokslideguy]

Well, the foot shooters are finally figuring some of it out and are acting like chickens coming out of the coop that just had a hand grenade thrown in it.
Forget NRA; they have a different agenda. You won't need guns if you have nowhere to use them. Join up with ALL of the groups that have a dog in this fight, including fishermen, hikers, enviros, outdoor product companies, people who think they might someday use the outdoors -- everyone. It is not the time to be pissing and moaning about the politics of certain parts of the grand group of outdoor users. Form a huge outdoor-users umbrella of voters and let the politicians know they can get voted out on one issue. If you don't want to be a one issue voter, quit whining and don't get in the way.
Corporate money is only useful to a politician to use it to advertise to stay in office. If that politician feels there is a huge block of voters who can prevent him from getting re-elected, the corporate money is not going to do him any good. He has to be afraid that there is a large one-issue block of voters that will vote for his opponent because of this one issue. And he will vote against the rest of the land grab process.

 

[Violent Hippie]

Brewer427, thanks for posting that link.

 

[topher89]

100 CEOs Unite for Public Lands - REI Co-op Journal

This is a great first step in big name companies telling the Feds how they feel about the potential sell off of public lands.

This list should be everyone's buying guide for the next few years. First Lite is on it and most of the big mountaineering companies. This is a hiker, angler, hunter, mountain biker, kayaker, birder, photographer, and fall leaf watcher fight.

I think a good next step for this thread is to identify what companies hold our values. This list is a good first step. First Lite is very clear about their values and have done a good job supporting conversation efforts, both through donations and advocacy.

What about...
Kuiu?
Sitka?


It is not good enough to sell good gear. We need to support companies that share our values and make good gear

 

[topher89]

Just spent sometime looking at KUIU and found nothing on their website. A few forum threads out there with people going back and forth on if the company does or doesn't.

Not having anything on their website is concerning though....

 

[airlocksniffer]

Sitka is definitely pro public land. Not sure why they aren't on the list but they are one of the corporate partners of BHA.

 

[coachjdub]

This list should be everyone's buying guide for the next few years. First Lite is on it and most of the big mountaineering companies. This is a hiker, angler, hunter, mountain biker, kayaker, birder, photographer, and fall leaf watcher fight.

I think a good next step for this thread is to identify what companies hold our values. This list is a good first step. First Lite is very clear about their values and have done a good job supporting conversation efforts, both through donations and advocacy.

What about...
Kuiu?
Sitka?


It is not good enough to sell good gear. We need to support companies that share our values and make good gear

Sitka looks like they do their part 2% for conservation and a whole list of other organizations they help fund.
Sitka Gear | Stewardship

 

[tipsntails7]

This list should be everyone's buying guide for the next few years. First Lite is on it and most of the big mountaineering companies. This is a hiker, angler, hunter, mountain biker, kayaker, birder, photographer, and fall leaf watcher fight.

I think a good next step for this thread is to identify what companies hold our values. This list is a good first step. First Lite is very clear about their values and have done a good job supporting conversation efforts, both through donations and advocacy.

What about...
Kuiu?
Sitka?


It is not good enough to sell good gear. We need to support companies that share our values and make good gear

I'd be willing to bet sitka dumps more money into conservation then most if not all on that list. I'd be interested to see how that list was formed.

Kryptek
Kifaru
Swaro
Vortex
Stone glacier

The list could go forever of companies not appearing on that list. First lite seems to be the ONLY hunting company on that list. Possibly because of their notoriety of winning that small business conservation award?

It's great that company's are on this list but what exactly have they done to back up and be worthy of being in that list. I know what Sitka does, I Know First lite does, I know Patagonia gives millions, a lot of those companies I've never heard a thing about their conservation or public land efforts.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dotman]

I'd be willing to bet sitka dumps more money into conservation then most if not all on that list. I'd be interested to see how that list was formed.

Kryptek
Kifaru
Swaro
Vortex
Stone glacier

The list could go forever of companies not appearing on that list. First lite seems to be the ONLY hunting company on that list. Possibly because of their notoriety of winning that small business conservation award?

It's great that company's are on this list but what exactly have they done to back up and be worthy of being in that list. I know what Sitka does, I Know First lite does, I know Patagonia gives millions, a lot of those companies I've never heard a thing about their conservation or public land efforts.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I get what your saying but all that list is for us to show politicians a group of companies that rely on public land activities in order to survive. If we had no place to go outdoors we wouldn't need any of their products or enough for them to continue to employe or have such a large product offering.

A document needs to be created that shows the economic impact to businesses and local economies vs the one time benefit of selling or transferring lands, has to be an independent review but I'm not sure one can get a true independent review. Some will say it is more then a one time benefit since no budget will be needed to manage but that will be offset with thousands of lost jobs, lost state/fed tax revenue and tourism revenue in local economies.

It amazes me that politicians don't understand the economic benefit of public land.

 

[topher89]

I get what your saying but all that list is for us to show politicians a group of companies that rely on public land activities in order to survive. If we had no place to go outdoors we wouldn't need any of their products or enough for them to continue to employe or have such a large product offering.

A document needs to be created that shows the economic impact to businesses and local economies vs the one time benefit of selling or transferring lands, has to be an independent review but I'm not sure one can get a true independent review. Some will say it is more then a one time benefit since no budget will be needed to manage but that will be offset with thousands of lost jobs, lost state/fed tax revenue and tourism revenue in local economies.

It amazes me that politicians don't understand the economic benefit of public land.

I recently heard something about how the outdoor industry lobbying group is doing an independent review of their impact... but I can't remember where I heard that.

I will dig around a post when I find it

 

[tipsntails7]

I get what your saying but all that list is for us to show politicians a group of companies that rely on public land activities in order to survive. If we had no place to go outdoors we wouldn't need any of their products or enough for them to continue to employe or have such a large product offering.

A document needs to be created that shows the economic impact to businesses and local economies vs the one time benefit of selling or transferring lands, has to be an independent review but I'm not sure one can get a true independent review. Some will say it is more then a one time benefit since no budget will be needed to manage but that will be offset with thousands of lost jobs, lost state/fed tax revenue and tourism revenue in local economies.

It amazes me that politicians don't understand the economic benefit of public land.

I understand dot, I was speaking more to using this list as a shopping list for gear, and thought that it unjustly cast companies that I know are pro hunter and pro public land in a negative light.

You could say the same about firearms, if firearms magically went away tomorrow I think few actually realize how far reaching that impact would be, yet people still want them gone.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Woodsboss]

The first thing each of us can do is get involved. Join an organization that you philosophically can get behind. The forerunners in the "Keep it Public" are of course Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and TRCP Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership - Guaranteeing You a Place to Hunt and Fish. Both organizations are outstanding. Yeah I'm biased because I support both. I fell they see the big picture rather than concentrating on a particularly species.

We all make purchases for a number of reasons some are cost related and our individuals needs/wants. I've got a closet full of First Lite and KUIU. If I could I would take back every purchase I've made from KUIU. I don't see where they support conservation at all. First Lite as been recognized by the industry for their continued contributions to conservation. There "Commitment to Conservation" is a testament to how it should be First Lite Commitment to Conservation. Another outstanding resource to guide your purchases should be 2% for conservation 2% for Conservation | Business Members. You can each make your own informed choices. I'm very conscious of my purchases for example I have Seekoutside stuff not Kifaru. Haven't seen where Kifaru has anti-upped.

To address Dotman's concerns the Outdoor Industry Association has done thier own research Outdoor Recreation Economy - Outdoor Industry Association into economic impacts from outdoor reaction. This is some really interesting information that you should share with your legislators and congressmen.

And one final note. The pro gun NRA groups are precisely that pro gun. But due to their propaganda that the Democrats are going to take away your guns funding for wildlife has increased. The sale of each and every gun and ammo is taxed under the Pittman-Robertson Act. State Fish and Game agencies receive a majority of their funding by matching these PR dollars at a 1 to 3 ratio. Pretty spectacular for wildlife. So go buy that new gun you were eyeing up.

So what happens when public lands go private? Access is lost, participation dwindles. License sales by state agencies go down. Funding for wildlife becomes far and few between and the system of the North American Model of Wildlife Management is interrupted.

If you're truly committed to wildlife and conservation get involved, make a phone call, attend public meetings support your favorite conservation organization and use your conscience when buying your next outfit for the mountain. Keep Public Land in Public Hands.