#RunSeattle: Almost Here!

Legs running, #RunSeattle, #Run4ConservationLands

Standing in front of finish lineFor the past 18+ weeks, and some mileage build up weeks before that, I’ve been training to run the Seattle Marathon. This marathon, on December 1st, will be my second, but most importantly, I’m running this as a charity race for the Conservation Lands Foundation.

If I haven’t had a chance to tell you about the Foundation, where I work, shame on me- here goes…

The Conservation Lands Foundation is a non-profit that helps local place-based stewards take care of and advocate for the National Conservation Lands– 28 million acres of the most ecologically rich and culturally significant of lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. They are found throughout the West, Alaska and even extend to the East Coast. They are our nation’s newest collection of protected public lands—standing in stature with our National Parks, National Forests and National Wildlife Refuges.

Composed of National Monuments and National Conservation Areas, Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Scenic and Historic Trails and more, these places reflect our understanding that truly conserving natural and cultural resources means protecting large areas—entire ecosystems and archaeological communities.

Red Rock National Conservation Area SignThe National Conservation Lands are lands of adventure open to all: from world-class rock climbing in Red Rock Canyon, to star gazing and camping on the Black Rock Desert, to hiking the rugged coastline of California’s Lost Coast in the King Range National Conservation Area– these are lands of incredible opportunity.

The lands, rivers and trails within the National Conservation Lands have been designated for protection, but they are also incredibly vulnerable. They face abuse from reckless oil and gas drilling and irresponsible off-road vehicle use. They are subject to looting, senseless vandalism and more.

By making more people aware of these special places—as stunning as any National Park and as ecologically important as any National Wildlife Refuge—we can assure their long-term protection. Team Conservation Lands Foundation is running a marathon this fall to build awareness and raise needed funds for these places.

The newest member of the National Conservation Lands is the San Juan Islands National Monument, a short drive and ferry ride away from the site of the marathon we’re running on December 1st.

Legs running, #RunSeattle, #Run4ConservationLandsThe protection, expansion and restoration of these places is the mission of the Conservation Lands Foundation. I’ve been putting in hundreds of mile on my feet preparing for this marathon- will you join me in supporting these lands with a gift in honor of my run? My goal is to raise $1,000 before I toe the starting line on December 1st. Whether you can give $200 or just $10, please help me reach this goal!

Donate online today.

Don’t forget to follow all the action on Twitter: #Run4ConservationLands.

Thanks for your support!