The Conservation Alliance “Backyard Collective” rallies volunteers to dig in the dirt with Vermont State Parks

Hello from Little River!

Waterbury, Vermont – Vermont State Parks will team up with The Conservation Alliance’s Backyard Collective on Friday, July 14 for a volunteer event at Camp Smith in Little River State Park. 

More than 50 volunteers will work on trails building, area cleanup and invasive species removal at CCC Camp Smith. The historic camp, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), was the largest CCC camp in the eastern U.S. The camp housed CCC corpsmen during the construction of Waterbury Dam after the disastrous flood of 1927.

“We are very excited to partner with The Conservation Alliance and its Backyard Collective,” said Susan Bulmer, NE Regional Parks Manager for Vermont State Parks. “Through the collaboration and support of community partners, and programs like the Backyard Collective, we are able to create and enhance important recreational and cultural opportunities for visitors to our state parks.”

Vermont businesses such as Darn Tough, Ibex, Mammut, Outdoor Gear Exchange, Pale Morning Media, and the Pinnacle Outdoor Group, are member companies of The Conservation Alliance. 

"As a member of The Conservation Alliance, Ibex is thrilled to welcome the Backyard Collective event in Vermont this year,” said Chelsea Pawlek, Supply Chain Manager at Ibex Outdoor Clothing and member of The Conservation Alliance board of directors. "It's great to be able to bring our industry together in Vermont to support our local community, as well as give our employees a chance to work side-by-side with other Conservation Alliance member companies.”

The mission of The Conservation Alliance is to engage businesses to fund and partner with organizations to protect wild places for their habitat and recreation values. The Alliance launched the Backyard Collective Program to connect member company employees in the outdoor industry with the work of organizations that receive funding from the group. 

 “We’re very excited to add a Vermont event as we celebrate our 10th year of our Backyard Collective program,” said John Sterling, executive director of The Conservation Alliance.  “Over the past decade, our members have pulled together for some impressive stewardship work on the local level. Conservation starts at home, and these events represent a strong commitment to preserving these companies’ backyard.”

The Backyard Collective moves that action to their local community, and gives these employees a venue to get their “hands dirty” for the sake of conservation.  

Some of the volunteer businesses participating in the Backyard Collective are members of the newly formed Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative, formed by Governor Phil Scott through Executive Order 11-17 on June 15, 2017. Forests, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Michael Snyder chairs this task force. “This volunteer day highlights the importance of our outdoor industry partners and the roles they play in strengthening stewardship of outdoor recreation resources through providing community-oriented assistance for maintaining our outdoor assets," said Michael Snyder.

The Backyard Collective event will be held from 8:30am-1:30pm on Friday, July 14 at CCC Camp Smith. For more information about this event, please contact Brook Hopper, outreach coordinator for the Conservation Alliance at brook@conservationalliance.com or at 805.340.5034.