2025 has been a year of deep reflection and a year where I have been intentional about spending time in nature, and I learned a few lessons such as: nature heals, taking care of nature is taking care of ourselves, and nature teaches us gratitude. I am so grateful for all the time I have been privileged to spend camping and fly fishing on America’s public lands, surfing on Folly Beach, or taking my kids for a hike at our local county parks. In other words, nature inspires me, makes me a better person, and teaches lessons that can only be gained by spending time outside, but my gratitude for nature has also deepened my concern for what’s happening to America’s public lands. For those of you not familiar, the Trump administration is making a concerted effort to dismantle our public lands for the purposes of extraction by attempting to sell off America’s Public Lands, rescind the Roadless Rule & the Public Lands Rule, and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which is why I am thrilled to share this interview with Paul Hendricks from The Conservation Alliance.
The Conservation Alliance (TCA) has been around for 35 years, and their vision is a “planet where wild places, wildlife, and people thrive together” and their mission is to “harness the collective power of business and outdoor communities to fund and advocate for the protection of North America’s wild places.” I wholly support this vision and mission, and that’s why I am proud that Emerger Strategies is a member of The Conservation Alliance, and as a 1% for the Planet member also, donating to TCA is a streamlined process and as Paul says, “being a 1% and TCA member is a force multiplier for conservation.” Being a TCA member has been great for my business because they provide different priority campaigns to engage at the policy level, such as Brands for Public Lands, Defending the Roadless Rule, Defending D-1 Lands in Alaska and others. TCA also lets members vote on different grants for grassroots conservation projects all over the United States, and also provides ways for brands to advocate on the policy level. If you are a business owner who supports conservation, values America’s public lands, I would strongly encourage you to join TCA!
Here’s an outline of what we cover in today’s episode:
- His sustainability journey through Patagonia and Rivian
- The history and mission of The Conservation Alliance
- How the Brands for Public Lands coalition has grown to 150+ companies
- Why the Roadless Rule is essential for protecting wild places
- The ecological importance of removing the Snake River Dams
- How 1% for the Planet and The Conservation Alliance amplify impact
- Why every brand needs a nature strategy
- What gives Paul hope for the future of public lands and biodiversity
Listen to the Full Conversation
If you’re interested in conservation, sustainability, public lands, or building a nature-positive future, this episode is a must-listen. Listen to the full episode with Paul Hendricks on The Sustainable Angler podcast.
Take Action: How Businesses Can Amplify Conservation Efforts
If you are a business owner who loves America’s public lands, believes in supporting conservation, and wants to leave a lasting legacy for your business, I would strongly encourage you to join 1% for the Planet and make The Conservation Alliance one of your environmental nonprofit partners because these are two of the most effective ways brands can support conservation.
1. Become a 1% for the Planet Member
Donating 1% of annual revenue to environmental nonprofits is a powerful way to accelerate change. Join Today.
2. Join The Conservation Alliance
Membership connects businesses to policy advocacy, conservation funding, and a community of companies working together to protect wild places. Join Today.
As Paul explains, when companies unite around conservation, their collective influence becomes a force multiplier.
3. Set SBTs for Nature!
Science-Based Targets for Nature (SBTN) give companies a clear framework to measure their impacts, understand their dependencies, and take prioritized action across land, freshwater, oceans, biodiversity, and climate. It’s the next evolution of sustainability—and leading brands are adopting it now. If your brand is looking for additional ways to take action for nature, Emerger Strategies just launched our Nature Strategy & Science-Based Targets for Nature service, so contact us today to learn more!
Thank You
Special thanks to Paul for everything he does to protect what he loves, and to everyone at The Conservation Alliance for defending public lands and protecting nature through conservation.
Available now on The Sustainable Angler and wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening, Happy Thanksgiving, and if you like what you are hearing, please consider leaving a Rating & Review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This episode is brought to you by Emerger Strategies, and A New Earth Project, the sustainability initiative of Atlantic Packaging.