Manchester, VT, April 21, 2020 — Current events have provided a stark reminder of how easy it is to take for granted the things we value most. Natural areas from Florida to Alaska are under threat, and on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Orvis calls on its community to come together to protect habitat and local economies in two of the world’s most iconic places: Bristol Bay, Alaska and the Everglades in Florida. Additionally, the retailer has released its 2019 Impact Report, highlighting the contributions the brand, and its patrons, made to protect wild places, increase participation in fly fishing and improve canine well-being throughout the year. In 2019, Orvis supported 173 non-profit organizations, raised and donated $466,908 and introduced 15,000 people to fly fishing through its free education programs.
Read Orvis’s 2019 Impact Report here orvis.com/impactreport
“As a start-up in the 1850s, Orvis was founded on the idea of inspiring adventure, wonder and deep connection to the outdoors. 160 years later, our mission is the same,” says Orvis COO Simon Perkins. “When people are able to get outside and experience the natural world, we believe they are happier, healthier, and more likely to work to protect it. We have a lot to be proud of this year, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our customers, the expertise of our partners, and the passion held by both.”
Protection and Restoration of Bristol Bay and the Everglades
Though they are separated by more than 4,000 miles, Bristol Bay, Alaska, and Florida’s Everglades ecosystem are under increasing pressure from development and water pollution. In Alaska, the proposed Pebble Mine, which has met widespread opposition for more than a decade, has the potential to devastate the largest sockeye salmon fishery on Earth.
Action is also needed today to correct the destructive results of freshwater pollution in the Everglades region of Florida, where discharged water from Lake Okeechobee has altered the ecosystem’s ability to survive. Recreation and tourism are also threatened, as it supports 1.3 million jobs and contributes $109 billion annually to Florida’s economy.
Orvis asks those interested in protecting these wild places visit savebristolbay.org/take-action and evergladeseconomy.org/take-action.
5% for Nature and Customer Matching Grant Fund
Orvis launched the 5% for Nature program in 1987, committing five percent of its pre-tax profits to conservation projects. Every year, these funds are used to support campaigns and non-profit organizations. Since the program’s inception, Orvis has raised and donated over $20M for conservation.
Introduced in 1991, the Orvis Customer Matching Grant Fund multiplies the impact of 5% for Nature by unlocking the power of the Orvis community in providing 1:1 matching funds for conservation and other projects. In 2019, partners benefiting from more than $240,000 in funding included The Everglades Foundation, Trout Unlimited Alaska, and Petfinder Foundation.
Breaking barriers in fly fishing
Orvis is also leading the industry in breaking down gender and racial barriers, educating beginners and welcoming people to the sport of fishing. In 2019, Orvis introduced 15,000 new anglers to the sport through its free Fly Fishing 101 courses. The 50/50 On the Water program, which aims to inspire and enable women to discover fly fishing, also launched the 50/50 film tour and hosted women’s specific fly-fishing schools.
Tracy Nguyen-Chung, founder of Brown Folks Fishing (BFF), a national initiative that cultivates access, conservation efforts, and community for black, indigenous, and people of color in the sport, earned the 2019 Orvis Breaking Barriers Award. Introduced in 2015, the award recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond to bring new participants into angling.
For 2020, Orvis has partnered with Save Bristol Bay, Everglades Foundation and Petfinder Foundation, and will continue to support additional non-profit organizations and educational programs. To learn more about Orvis’s conservation efforts, please visit .orvis.com/conservation.
