Do you support outdoors non-profits?

[Jack H.]

Are you a donor to any hiking/wilderness/environmental non-profit associations?

I'm a dirt bag, so tight on cash, but I donate to at least one per year. This year? The Continental Divide Trail Alliance.

[Link .]

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[Sarah Kirkconnell]

We support the WTA (Washington Trails Association) both personally and business wise. In good years we try to be a corporate sponsor as well. We also write a column for the magazine Wa Trails they publish. WTA does much of the trail work in Wa along with protecting areas and outreach.

I also try to give yearly to PCTA as well.

As well, when we travel we donate cash in person to the non-profit group at each NP we visit. That way, money in person is used on local projects.

[Richard Lyon]

I contribute to several backcountry service organizations, including Continental Divide Trail Alliance, Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, and Wilderness Volunteers. Also a few (carefully selected) advocacy organizations: Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Rails to Trails, The Nature Conservancy.

The service organizations, particularly local ones, appreciate donations of time almost as much as money, and most like to receive donations of used gear.

[Ryan Linn]

Glad you mention this, Jack. After working for the Appalachian Mountain Club and Green Mountain Club for several seasons over the course of several years, I've seen just how much membership dues and donations support the trails that non-profits and other clubs maintain.

Up until a few weeks ago I never paid for my memberships to the AMC or GMC because I got complimentary memberships for working for them. I've let my AMC membership lapse because I don't care as much for where their money goes. I just became a member of the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, the PCTA, and the Cohos Trail Association, and I'll be renewing my membership to the GMC, all because I love the trails these clubs maintain, I think they do good work, and I think they could use the money wisely.

When I can, I do trail work, but not having a steady job or schedule, it's hard to devote time to volunteer trail work. Money is the other good way to support the trails you love, I think.

[Dean F.]

My wife and I donate through the CFC. Among the others I give to one outdoors cause every year, though it seems to change every time. (The charity list varies by year and by region.)

[Ken Thompson]

PCTA And thanks for reminding me. I need to renew my ALDHA West also.

[Matt Lutz]

I am a member of the Superior Hiking Trail Association, and have been since ~June 2008. I figured that after I thru-hiked the trail, I owed it to the SHTA to contribute to their efforts.

[tommy d]

My GF and I are members of the Green Mountain Club (GMC) in Vermont. I've informally helped friends who were working for the GMC with trail work, but never been an official volunteer. I hope to have the time to do more with the organization this year. It is the 100th anniversary of the club this week.

[YAMABUSHI !]

Accessfund

[Ike Mouser]

If i didn't have to watch my spending(just began career), i would. I won't be supporting any charities with anything(financial anyway, time is another thing) until i get situated in life.

[Kari Post]

I've worked for, volunteered for, and donated to all sorts of non-profits. My favorite are the educational types, in particular those that introduce people to the outdoors. I work with urban and disadvantaged youth (as well as well to do youth) and the experience they get from being in nature is incredible. Most non-profits of that type are a labor of love; its an incredibly rewarding and completely non-lucrative profession. They need all the financial help they can get to keep their programs running.

[James Patsalides]

We routinely support four outdoors non-profits:
1. The Connecticut Forest & Park Association (manages blue blazed trails in CT)
2. Appalachian Trail Conservancy
3. Nature Conservancy (national nature conservancy organizations)
4. The East Coast Greenway (building a rural/urban/suburban trail down the East coast of the US)

In addition, I'm a member of the AMC and BPL… :-)

[Walter Carrington]

I belong to AMC.
Local groups (contribute and volunteer):
Ashburnham Conservation Trust (helped preserve Mt. Watatic).
Regional Environmental Council (Worcester, Mass. local enviro group).
Green Hill Park Coalition (devoted to preserving Worcester's Green Hill Park)

Regional or State groups that I sometimes contribute to:
Clean Water Action
Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow
New England Wild Flower Society
Trustees of Reservations (has preserved many great places in Mass.)
Worcester County Horticultural Society

[Joe Clement]

I give to several, but I would never support the Nature Conservancy, based on what I have seen of their methods and performance in Texas.

On the other hand……….does Gossamer Gear count?

[Dirk Rabdau]

Hmm. Good question. Off top of my head, I financially support:

1. Pacific Crest Trail Association
2. Washington Trail Association
3. American Long Distance Hiking Association – West
4. The Trust for Public Lands
5. Student Conservation Association

Dirk

[Justin Carter]

East Bay Regional Park District

[EndoftheTrail]

No. I know of course that outdoor causes are worthwhile, but there is still so much poverty and hunger within many of our neighborhoods. My money goes to:

1. Oxfam
2. Catholic Relief Services

But it's good that we all have different causes that we support!

[Rakesh Malik]

I'm a member and a volunteer with the Sierra Club. I'm leading outings, and I've donated quite a few photographs and photographed at several events for them. I'd like to support the Washington Trails Association also, but that will have to wait until I have more time and/or money to do so.

The reason for supporting the Sierra Club is that we're working on preventing things like logging in our national forests, and hydroelectric dams on wild, scenic river systems (many of which we're pushing to get designated as Wild and Scenic River Systems, which gets them stringently protected by law).

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