Outdoor USA Magazine

The Access Fund has added Curt Shannon as Arizona Policy Analyst to oppose the Oak Flat Land Exchange Bill. This bill will trade 2,400 acres of public land for 5,300 acres held by a mining company who wishes to create a large copper mine.

For the third time in its history OR is on the move. Summer Market has outgrown the current facility at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah and Winter Market is on track for the same fate.

To help guide the decision making in moving the show's location Nielsen and OIA are attempting to evaluate all options with input from industry members. This input will be compiled on the Collective Voice website.

Detroit, MI – For the 23^rd year General Motors is supporting GREEN (Global Rivers Environmental Education Network) in partnership with the nonprofit Earth Force. Together they are attempting to foster student interest in the outdoors.

Last year GM mentors and over 9,000 students from nearly 100 schools in the U.S. and Canada waded into streams to analyze water quality. Six out of ten of those students reported wanting to continue working on issues addressed by the project.

To learn more about the program, visit the GM GREEN page of the Earth Force GREEN page.

The Department of the Interior has announced the start of a public process to explore expanding incentives for voluntary partnerships with private landowners and other land stewards in an effort to help conserve imperiled wildlife. The process is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's commitment to try innovative approaches to protect and restore habitats for wildlife, improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act and strengthen local economies.

Patagonia's Advocate Week has taken off since the small pilot in fall 2010. Now, in one year over 150 retail partner doors have held Advocate Weeks.

The weeks give retail partners the opportunity to support local conservation efforts through a donation-with-purchase program. During the two-week program, Patagonia Footwear donates a minimum of $10 to the local non-profit for every pair of Patagonia footwear sold.

In the beginning Patagonia partnered with 1% for the Planet and co-branded the Advocate moc. Now the two-week program engages dealers and their customers as they create displays, videos and materials around the week.

The North Face has announced they will be sponsoring endurance athlete Diane Van Deren's attempt to bring attention to North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail by setting the record time for running the trail. Van Deren will need to average 38 miles per day to complete the nearly 1,000 miles of trail in 24 days.

Amer Sports Winter and Outdoor Americas (ASWO) has set up a benefit fund to assist the family of former Salomon USA Sales Director Bill Nicoll who passed away February 1st following complications from a heart attack. Nicoll was 53.

Contributions to the fund will go to help cover the Nicolls' youngest son's college tuition and the family's unexpected expenses. Donations can be made to via wire or traditional mail through the Bank of Utah.

A Jimmy Lewis shaped SUP board was auctioned for a record $27,500 at the annual gala of the Everglades Foundation in Palm Beach. The board was given to the auction by Jimmy Lewis and the owners of Jupiter Paddleboarding, John and Bari Denney.

The auction package included the 10'6 Jimmy Lewis Cruise Control SUP, a Kanaha Paddle, a Jimmy Lewis board bag and an everglades eco-tour and paddle session with Jupiter Paddleboarding. Bids were cast by raising a glow stick in the audience. While the proud new owner of the SUP board is unknown, gala attendees included Kelly Slater, Jack Nicklaus and Dave Mathews.