Dear Senator:

Members of the outdoor recreation industry, along with the National Parks Conservation Association and the Outdoor Alliance, are seriously concerned about the immediate and profound threats climate change poses to America’s natural areas and the significant outdoor pursuits and economic activities supported by these places.

The people and businesses of the outdoor community are some of the first to experience the impacts of climate change on our public lands. Declining snowpack shortens ski and seasons, makes alpine more dangerous and can eliminate . Less snowpack means less water in our creeks, rivers and lakes for paddling. Higher temperatures and prolonged droughts impact the forests, mountains, deserts, and rivers where we recreate. Climate change can degrade, limit, and in some cases eliminate opportunities for outdoor experiences.

As climate legislation moves forward, we ask you prioritize protecting our national and state parks, forests, wild and scenic rivers, national conservation areas, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, and national recreation areas. Healthy lands and waters as well as the wildlife and habitat that they support are the foundation of the $730 billion in economic activity generated by active outdoor recreation, which supports 6.5 million jobs -- 1 in 20 across the U.S. -- and $88 billion in state and federal tax revenue.

Though our lands, waters, plant and animals certainly deserve protection for their own sake, they should also be protected for the wealth of ecosystem services they provide for society at large: Clean air and water, biodiversity, carbon storage, wildlife habitat, historic landscapes and, particularly, outdoor recreation.

Our national parks are the envy of the world and are part of the lifeblood of the people and businesses that make up the outdoor community. Climate-related changes will increasingly degrade our national parks and harm the communities and businesses that depend on healthy natural resources for their continued economic prosperity. Investments that help restore America’s wildlife and natural resources, making them more resilient to climate change, will improve the ecological health of our national parks and other public lands while enhancing the active recreation economy and the national economy at large.

For the sake of our national parks, forests, rivers, other natural areas and wild places, as well as the thriving economic activity that these places support, please make sure that protecting and enhancing America’s natural areas is a priority in climate legislation. Thank you for your consideration.

Best Regards,

Bill Cochrane Andrew Mattox Active Outdoors Group Alpacka Raft LLC Mancos, CO

Bridget Muscat Tom Duguid All-Ett Arc'teryx Equipment Poway, CA North Vancouver, BC, Canada Melanie Maltby Richard Dash Big Agnes Dash Hemp Steamboat Springs, CO Santa Cruz, CA

Duane Raleigh David Clifford Publisher/Editor in Chief David Clifford Photography Big Stone Publishing Carbondale, CO Carbondale, CO Peter Worley Peter Metcalf President, Teva/Simple President and CEO Deckers Outdoor Goleta, CA , UT Joe Osborne Scott McVay Deuter USA, Inc Bobster Niwot, CO Poway, CA Dave Ritchie Bronwen Lodato D-fa-Dog Bronwen Jewelry Wanaka, New Zealand San Francisco, CA Steve Rendle Jesse Mattner Eagle Creek CAMP VF Outdoor Broomfield, CO Carlsbad, CA

Ken Meidell Will Manzer Cascade Designs, Inc. CEO Seattle, WA Eastern Mountain Sports Peterborough, NH Sierra Norton Chico Bag Buck Branson Chico, CA evolv Climbing Buena Park, CA Elysa Hammond CEO Stacey Edgar Clif Bar & Company Global Girlfriend Berkeley, CA Littleton, CO

Andy Tepper Dana Donley Morton Clik Elite GoLite St. George, UT Boulder, CO

Steve Sullivan Rain Lipson CEO Green Label Organic Cloudveil Mountain Works Floyd, VA Jackson, WY Hal Arenson Lanette Fidrych Horny Toad/Nau President Portland, OR Cycle Dog Portland, OR

Kara Weld Teresa Delfin Immersion Research Proprietor Confluence, PA Mountain Mama Ontario, CA Jeff Ivarson Ivar Thomas C. Kiernan San Rafael, CA President National Parks Conservation Association Steve Rendle , DC JanSport VF Outdoor April Femrite San Leandro, CA Naturally Bamboo Mankato, MN Scott Reffsin John Deere Tom Barney New York, NY CEO Osprey Stacy Manosh Cortez, CO Johnson Woolen Mills Johnson, VT Adam Cramer Outdoor Alliance Jeff Cunningham Washington, DC K2 Sports Seattle, WA Frank Hugelmeyer President Linda Tom Outdoor Industry Association Keen Boulder, CO Portland, OR Christian Folk Michael Duffy Outdoor Research Kokatat Seattle, WA Arcata, CA Jonathan Farnsworth Sam Krieg Parlé Your Style Krieg Climbing Pocatello, ID Pocatello, ID Laura Fryer CEO Patagonia Boulder, CO Ventura, CA

Jordan Phillips Brad Werntz Mission Playground Pemba Serves Petaluma, CA Madison, WI

W. Beatty Jackson John Evans Mooseworks Knoxville, TN Clearfield, UT

Noah Robertson Karen Burke CEO Picnic at Ascot Mountain Khakis Hawthorne, CA Jackson, WY Jeff "Beaver" Theodosakis Doug Jackson CEO President prAna Living, LLC Storm Creek Vista, CA Hastings, MN

Tammy Tramble Dan Theade Precidio Street Strider Brampton, Ontario, Canada Carson City, NV

Mark Reed Mike Herlinger CEO Sun Valley Natural Products Prism Designs Inc Sun Valley, ID Seattle, WA Sky George Brian Day Tarma Designs Pyranha Kayak Macon, GA Asheville, NC Steve Rendle Steve Flagg President Owner and President Quality Bicycle Products VF Outdoor Bloomington, MN San Leandro, CA

Michael Collins John Burke REI President and CEO Kent, WA Trek Bicycles Waterloo, WI Greg Freyberg Ruff Wear Lisa Branner Bend, OR Venture Snowboards Silverton, CO Shayla Swanson Sauce Headwear Erez Toker Bozeman, MT President Vessel Drinkware Gary Ryan Seattle, WA Scarpa North America Boulder, CO Ashley Korenblat President Mike Sinyard Western Spirit Cycling President Moab, UT Specialized Bicycles Morgan Hill, CA Dave Pegg Founder Stan Day Wolverine Publishing President and CEO Silt, CO SRAM Corp Chicago, IL Ashley Cameron Zipfy Michele Flamer Oakville, ON, Canada Stewart-Stand Brooklyn, NY