During the pandemic, many of us in the US have taken to exploring
nature
as an escape from working or studying from home. Indeed, partly due to evidence
that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is less transmissible
outdoors,
parks, campsites, and other places where people can gather safely and socially
distanced have seen increased popularity. According to some reports,
campgrounds and hiking
trails
are seeing record usage across the country this year; and some national parks
are seeing more visitors than they did in 2019 — despite travel restrictions.
But for low-income communities — especially communities of color — getting into
nature is often not an option. From lack of accessibility (people of color are
three times more likely than the average US citizen to live in nature-deprived
neighborhoods)
and the high cost of outdoor gear to significant cultural barriers, it often
isn’t possible for many US residents to enjoy nature.
“American society distributes nature’s benefits ... unequally by race, income
and age,” Jenny Rowland Shea & Shanna Edberg, authors of a Center for
American Progress (CAP) report released in July entitled The Nature
Gap,
wrote in a blog post. “At this
time of social distancing — when clean, fresh air is most wanted and needed —
nature is out of reach for too many.”
The North Face, one of the world’s leading outdoor gear brands, is aiming to
address this gap through the recent launch of the Explore Fund
Council — a $7 million global program that
aims to accelerate equity in the outdoors.
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“We are experiencing a crucial cultural turning point in 2020, and believe we
have an obligation to use our voice and platform, and tap our network to enact
meaningful change,” Amy Roberts, Senior Director of Social Impact at The
North Face, told Sustainable Brands™.
Launching in 2021, the first Explore Fund Council will focus on accelerating
culturally relevant exploration opportunities and connecting diverse communities
to the benefits of outdoor exploration. The Council will be led by Lena
Waithe — an Emmy-winning actor,
screenwriter, director and producer who has worked tirelessly to champion new
voices within the entertainment industry; and Jimmy
Chin, world-class
mountaineer, adventure photographer, team athlete and Academy Award-winning
director of the 2018 documentary, Free Solo. They will be joined by other leaders across culture, entertainment,
academia and the outdoors to create scalable solutions to increase access to
exploration — and their recommendations will guide $7 million in initial
funding, globally, to continue building equity in the outdoors and create
opportunities for all.
Scalable solutions are needed — because, as CAP’s report shows, the gap is
massive. Whether it’s the 1930s
redlining
that forced minorities to live in less desirable neighborhoods, far from nature;
the active theft of land from Native Americans, or the still-prevalent lack of
hiring and representation in natural resource agencies and the environmental
movement, pervasive, systemic issues exist when it comes to diversity and nature.
Racism is an issue, too. Remember when a white woman called the
cops
on a black man in New York City’s Central Park earlier this year for
merely birdwatching? The truth is that many black and brown Americans don’t feel
safe or comfortable being in parks or natural sites with mostly white people.
Solving that will take real, dedicated effort. That’s why the Explore Fund
Council is not a short-term program, but a forward-looking plan with long-term
goals. The first year will be focused on bringing together experts to address
barriers to exploration and create culturally relevant exploration opportunities
for communities of color. This will drive the future of the program.
Roberts says the plan is to have the full Explorers Fund Council in place, with
additional details and specifics about the programming announced in Spring 2021.
Coming up with plans is one thing, but actually reaching people in low-income
communities is another thing. One unique aspect of The North Face’s projects is
the active social component, which aims to create content on platforms including
TikTok.
“Our hope with the social filters and GIFs is that people will be able to
unleash creativity on their own channels and share with their communities to
inspire others to join in the movement and offer the hope of progress through
exploration for all,” Roberts says.
In 2020, we’ve learned the incredible value of having access to nature. Ensuring
that everyone in the US, regardless of their location or ethnicity, has equal
access to our shared natural
heritage
is a goal that everyone can and should support.
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Media, Campaign and Research Consultant
Nithin is a freelance writer who focuses on global economic, and environmental issues with an aim at building channels of communication and collaboration around common challenges.
Published Oct 28, 2020 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 6pm GMT / 7pm CET