Earlier this week outdoor brand Patagonia announced that they will not participate in Outdoor Retailer markets held in Salt Lake City Utah due to the states opposition to the establishment of new national parks by the outgoing Obama administration. As you know from our coverage, OR consists of two seasonal markets which are the largest outdoor recreation tradeshows in North America.
Like Patagonia, Arc’teryx opposes Utah’s position on this matter. We expect more brands to withdraw from OR. In fact, OR itself has notified Salt Lake City of its desire to move the twice a year show to another venue outside of Utah.
Arc’teryx published the following statement on their corporate blog.
COMPANY FOLLOWS PATAGONIA’S MOVE AS PRESSURE BUILDS FOR UTAH’S GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT PROTECTION OF PUBLIC LANDS AND PROTECT WILD SPACES
Arc’teryx, a company that has long supported preservation of wild spaces, formally announces today its withdrawal from Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City, Utah due to the state’s efforts to rescind protection of Bears Ears National Monument and other public lands. The company stands in support of Patagonia’s move to leave Outdoor Retailer in Utah and is following suit. Funds that would have been spent to attend Outdoor Retailer in 2017 will be reallocated to the Conservation Alliance’s new Public Lands Defense Fund.
“The Outdoor Industry has an obligation to protect the wild places that are important to our consumers. Arc’teryx is a member of the outdoor industry’s Conservation Alliance. Since 2014, we’ve been part of the efforts to protect Bears Ears, supporting local grassroots organizations working on a legislated solution. More recently Arc’teryx has helped to fund Friends of Cedar Mesa and Utah Dine Bike Yah, as they work on a national monument designation. I was proud to join my peers in the outdoor industry in sending a letter to President Obama asking him to protect this landscape in Southern Utah, which is cherished by our community of climbers, hikers and outdoors enthusiasts. Protecting public lands for future generations is a critical part of our brand values and we will use our influence in a way that is consistent with those values.” – Jon Hoerauf, president of Arc’teryx
On March 6thth Jon Hoerauf will head to Washington DC with the Conservation Alliance and 21 other outdoor industry leaders to meet with key Congressional offices and representatives of the new Administration. The goal of this trip is to encourage all elected officials, regardless of political affiliation, to take action to protect important lands and waterways – including Bears Ears National Monument.
Arc’teryx will also be increasing its funding commitment to the Conservation Alliance by $150,000 over the next three years to support the protection of Bears Ears and other public lands at risk.
