CalWild Adopts Equity and Inclusion Statement

• November 24, 2019
• CalWild

For years it was taken for granted by most conservationists that public lands belong to all people. And that is true legally, but that has not always been the case practically. As with many other conservation groups, CalWild staff and board have worked hard to tackle the past misdeeds of the conservation community and perhaps more profoundly the omissions and oversights that limited the true fruition of public lands accessible and welcoming to all people. With that in mind, the CalWild board adopted the organization’s first Equity and Inclusion Statement. We are committed to taking actions in the coming months and years to make this statement our reality.

CalWild’s Equity and Inclusion Statement

The most fundamental principle of CalWild’s work is that public lands belong to all people. Therefore, it is CalWild’s duty to ensure everyone is encouraged and empowered to be involved in the protection, management, use and enjoyment of public lands regardless of age, socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, culture, or spiritual background.

Who We Are

To be effective towards this end, CalWild is committed to integrating and executing values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion into our hiring practices and internal support systems for staff. We will prioritize a rich mix of experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, and beliefs. We are committed to furthering that ethos by proactively listening to the different perspectives and points of view of our staff, and creating a welcoming environment where they feel empowered to bring their complete selves to the work they do. We believe our future organizational effectiveness rests squarely on our ability to embody these ideas.

What We Do

CalWild has always worked to empower local voices and groups in their efforts to protect the public lands they love. We are committed to respectful, authentic, equitable, and proactive engagement and empowerment of all groups and individuals, specifically those that have been historically marginalized in the public lands decision-making, management, and use process. Only by ensuring that all groups and individuals have an equitable voice and power will California be able to protect its rich ecological diversity for generations to come.

CalWild also acknowledges that everyone connects and engages with nature in a way that reflects their culture, experiences, and abilities. We are committed to listening and helping to advocate for appropriate access and inclusive policies for all groups.