how can your outdoor brand become a better trail steward?
Without trails, where would we hike, bike, and explore? Whether you’re a hiker, mountain biker, or backpacker, we rely on trails and other outdoor infrastructure to do the sports and activities that we love. And while we might joke about “trail gnomes” that magically do maintainence while we sleep, trails don’t just build and upkeep themselves. The process of conceiving of a trail, receiving the proper approvals, planning, building, and maintaining the trail is long and costly.
Meanwhile, brands serve as a gateway to the outdoors, which comes with the responsibility to be good stewards of our natural resources. Marketing campaigns, influencer content, and media coverage inspire people to get out and enjoy the outdoors. This means brands can have a huge impact on the way people interact with the outdoors. So, how can your brand use its position to become better trail stewards? And why should you care?
why do trail advocacy?
First, trail advocacy is not only a way to give back to the community, but it is good for business. As we said earlier, no trails means no access - if people don’t have places to recreate, they will get outside less and there will be less demand for outdoor gear. Additionally, including your customers in your advocacy efforts can help to strength loyalty and brand community by humanizing your brand and increasing goodwill.
Aside from the numbers, your brand is a pathway that brings people to the outdoors and to shared public lands. Every user in a community has a responsibility to be a good citizen of that group. As a larger and more visible piece of the outdoor community, brands share that responsibility in a greater way.
how do you become involved in trail advocacy?
Public lands and outdoor recreation are a patchwork of different stakeholders, organizations, Tribes, and non-profits. Learning this landscape will help you and your brand figure out where you can help. While this can be overwhelming, we recommend starting both locally, and from a high-level. First, where do you at your brand, your colleagues, and your customers recreate? Starting locally is a great way for you brand to give back to the community close to home. It can also help you learn more about the various land owners and stewards in your area.
From the high-level, chances are you are probably already familiar with a trails organization or two. There are large organizations that work over multiple states or regions like the Pacific Crest Trail Association or National Forest Foundation.
Down to the specifics, there are a number of ways that brands can become more involved with trail stewardship. The most basic is money and fundraising. While getting out there and throwing dirt on a trail day is helpful, trail organizations need funds to function. If you are looking to make monetary contributions, think about ways that you can become a long-term partner of the organizations that you researched earlier. This helps to provide a stable and ongoing relationship, rather than a one-and-done donation.
Another crucial component is people power. Brands can leverage their influence to encourage people to attend advocacy meetings or volunteer for trail work days. This is where the shovels meet the dirt. Everything from sponsoring “dig days,” to providing Volunteer Paid Time Off for your employees can make a huge and visible impact.
Trail stewardship can strengthen community ties and ensure access to the outdoors for generations to come. Each brand will have a different take on why they participate in trail advocacy. Here are a few examples that might fit your brand.
suggestions for brands
Learn about the local outdoor recreation landscape. There is often a large patchwork of government organizations, nonprofits, and Tribes that are all involved.
Decide which organization(s) your brand wants to support. There are hyper-local organizations as well as those that work across a broader region or the entire country.
Work with partner organizations to determine what areas are in need of support.
Brands can provide people power - part of advocacy is showing up.
Use your platform - brands can encourage their employees, customers, and followers to attend and participate in events like public meetings where trail projects are being discussed, or volunteer events.
Brands can also encourage their employees, customers, and followers to participate in trail building and maintenance days. Some brands already offer benefits to their employees related to volunteering, like volunteer paid time off.
Sponsor trail work days
Combine product and cause, with portions of proceeds going to charitable causes
Brands can develop content related to trail etiquette. Incorporate advocacy into all of your storytelling. Using this lens across campaign ideatiotion can help create responsible consumers and can position your brand as a leader.
Join industry groups and organizations already doing advocacy work, like The Conservation Alliance, mentioned below.
examples of brands working as trail advocates
Photo: Kitsbow
Kitsbow
One example of a brand working to develop trails in its local community is Kitsbow, the Old Fort, North Carolina manufacturer of premium cycling apparel. The brand originated in California, but moved to North Carolina in 2019. A major reason for the move was the brand’s intention to open a factory and sew all of their clothes themselves. In doing so, Kitsbow has built a brand ethos of community support through actions such as training the local workforce in technical sewing skills, paying fair wages, and helping develop new trails in the nearby Pisgah National Forest.
Kitsbow has joined forces with the G5 Trail Collective as well as the U.S. Forest Service and other community members and organizations to spearhead the Old Fort Trails Project, which will add 42-miles of new trails to the area.
The project broke ground in January, and the initial phase will include four miles of easy trails forming loops for hiking and mountain biking, as well as two miles of intermediate connector trails for hike, bike, and equestrian users. These community-oriented trails will provide much needed beginner experiences in the Pisgah National Forest. The first six miles of trail and new parking area are slated to open in summer 2022. The entire project will be implemented over five to 10 years.
Kitsbow offers the G5 Trail Collective collection of products, and 25% of proceeds are donated back to the trails organization. The collection features the G5 logo on garments like the much-praised Icon flannel shirt.
10 Barrel Brewing
This work is not limited strictly to outdoor gear companies. Other brands rooted in the outdoors, like 10 Barrel Brewing have programs designed to give back as well. With a core customer group made up of outdoor enthusiasts, 10 Barrel has created its #drinkitforward program to support trails and other causes.
Most recently, 10 Barrel released the Rock Hop Cold IPA in collaboration with footwear brand Danner, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Trailkeepers of Oregon, a non-profit volunteer organization that maintains and preserves Oregon’s hiking trails.
Both 10 Barrel and Danner are Oregon-based and have a deep interest in supporting organizations that make it easier for people to recreate outdoors. Trailkeepers of Oregon is committed to protecting and enhancing the Oregon hiking experience through stewardship, advocacy, outreach and education. TKO saves trails from neglect and renews public agency interest in hiking trail systems to grow and thrive.
The Conservation Alliance
10 Barrel, along with more than 250 other brands, is a member of The Conservation Alliance, whose mission is to “harness the collective power of business and outdoor communities to fund and advocate for the protection of North America’s wild places.”
The Conservation Alliance has “helped save more than 73 million acres of wildlands; protect 3,580 miles of rivers; stop or remove 37 dams; designate five marine reserves; and purchase 21 climbing areas,” since its inception in 1989. The organization is an example of how outdoor industry involvement in advocacy can go beyond trail building for hikers and bikers.
Advocacy build trails and community. Photo: Kitsbow
Takeaways
There are numerous considerations for brands who wish to start becoming more involved with trail advocacy. Each brand should consider what their goals are in supporting trail advocacy and how they can best support their partner organizations. Close communication and collaboration will lead to a more effective partnership and benefit the broader community.