ABOUT US

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OUR APPROACH & GOVERNANCE



The New York Outdoor Recreation Coalition is made up of a diverse membership consisting of New York focused organizations, agencies, companies, retailers, and advocacy groups. In an effort to ensure equal access to outdoor recreation and the continued progression of recreation focused issues, NYORC hosts monthly meetings with its members to discuss and move forward relevant initiatives across the state. NYORC also seeks to heighten conservation focused issues to help protect areas where people are recreating in the out-of-doors.



Our Structure



NYORC is an informal group of like minded organizations that have come together under a common vision of the outdoors and who believe in a set of guiding principles and are governed by the following rules.


The Coalition is a non-fee based group, governed by a Steering Committee that is led by two nominated Co-Chairs.


Out Scope


NYORC shares information, provides networking opportunities, and champions issues raised by members that advance the coalition's principles through the following activities:


  1. Monthly coalition meetings: These meetings serve as an information sharing forum for:

    • Land Management group report-outs/updates

    • User group report-outs/updates

    • NYORC workgroup and committee report-outs/updates

    • Special presentations, problem-solving, and information sharing

  2. Workgroups: These are formed for the following two purposes:

    • Develop and advance the knowledge of coalition members in the areas relevant to the coalition’s principles.

    • Create action plans or recommended actions to be brought forward by the collective coalition that effect change, advocate, or support efforts that advance coalition’s principles.

  3. Recommendations & Call To Act: Members can leverage the influence of the collective coalition to advance important work and take action on recommendations brought forward through the coalition’s workgroups that are in furtherance of the coalitions principles.

  4. Networking: Members are provided access to each other through the membership director, meetings and workgroups, and through online resources adopted and shared by the coalition.

Membership


NYORC provides three types of membership to organizations that accept and bring forward NYORC's guiding principles. Membership is free.


Learn more about membership and join.

A Note On Advocacy vs Lobbying


NYORC is a powerful network of outdoor organizations that come together to work through the many challenges of managing public lands and creating responsible, equitable access to them. Our guiding principles look to use the power of the collective coalition to develop ideas and solutions to those challenges and bring forward recommendations, actions, information, or advice that further the coalitions principles. We loosely define this engagement as "advocacy". Our work is to investigate, educate, and bringing forward recommendations that help to inform the development of or changes to policy or activities of others. While at times challenging, this is the activity that is needed to support, lift, and advance greater equity in the outdoors for underrepresented and historically marginalized populations and protect the environment.


The activities of the coalition do not directly engage ("lobby") elected officials on legislation.


Our coalition partnerships are built on trust. Transparency is key. The coalition's conversations will likely challenge each of us from time to time. The value of this coalition is participation by all. If your organization is unable to "sign on" to positions and recommendations of the coalition but still values the mutually beneficial engagement, then that organization should elect Affiliate Membership rather than Membership A or B. Affiliate members will not be automatically added to any positions or recommendations of the full coalition without consent. Lean more about membership categories >>