The National Forest Foundation (NFF) is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with the outdoor retailer Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) which is investing up to $1 million to improve America’s National Forests. 

“REI has generously supported America’s public lands throughout its history,” said Mary Mitsos, NFF’s President. “The NFF is privileged to work with REI to further their dedication to public lands, which will result in meaningful impacts for our National Forests and Grasslands,” she continued.

Every time REI members use the REI Co-op Mastercard®, the co-op will make a donation to the National Forest Foundation¹—up to $1 million. The funding will support 10 high-impact projects on National Forests around the country: 

• In Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, funding will help support a conservation corps comprised of Alaskan native youth from rural Admiralty Island. 
• In Chicago, youth from the North Lawndale College Prep School will spend six weeks working in and learning about Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, an hour south of the city. 
• Funding will also link sections of a heavily visited mixed-use trail on the Tahoe National Forest in California’s famed Sierra Nevada Mountains.
• On Colorado’s renowned “Fourteeners” (peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation), work will protect fragile alpine habitats and improve trail conditions on peaks that receive thousands of annual visits.
• Additional projects will open kayaking access to the Upper Chattooga River in North Carolina, improve trails and watersheds on the Tonto National Forest in Arizona, restore the Crawford Path Trail in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, restore the Alden Gulch Trail on the Sawtooth National Forest, and facilitate youth from the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians working in their ancestral homeland on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia.

America’s National Forests are one of the cornerstones of the outdoor life our members love. We’re grateful for the National Forest Foundation’s dedication to building out the nation’s trail network and look forward to continuing our partnership to ensure these places exist for ‘this and future generations.

Jerry Stritzke, CEO, REI

These projects will begin this spring and will continue through 2018. Additionally, REI and the NFF will use this partnership to help educate millions of Americans about the incredible value of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. For more information about this partnership and the projects, please visit: nationalforests.org/rei.

¹REI will donate $.10 per REI Co-op Mastercard purchase transaction made between 4/1/2017 and 12/31/2017 to the National Forest Foundation, up to $1 million. Non-Purchase transactions, including cash advances, convenience checks, balance transfer, and other advance transactions as defined in the Cardmember Agreement, as well as interest charges and fees, do not qualify. Transactions posted in late December 2017 may be applied to 2018 contributions. REI may change the benefit or named charity in future years. REI is solely responsible for making the donation. 

The creditor and issuer of the REI Co-op Mastercard® is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated.©2017 U.S. Bank