By Mariska Kecskes | Wyss Fellow Associate Organizer
The first time I saw wild salmon, I was 22 years old, standing on the banks of the Cedar river watching scarlet ripples swimming against the strong current. I stood, transfixed, as the supervisor of my habitat restoration crew began to explain the importance of salmon, their role in our ecosystems (and our role in restoring their habitat). Of course, I knew the importance of salmon and habitat restoration, but I had never actually seen wild salmon before, had no idea how big they were, nor how formidable and resilient, as some were already becoming swimming zombies in their final days, yet still pushing forward; and in that moment it clicked. I got it. I understood why this is all so important and why we need to do all we can to ensure their recovery; and so began my journey to becoming the environmental organizer that I am today.
I learned many things from that experience along the river, but one in particular is how essential sharing these types of moments outdoors is to developing future environmental activists. This lesson has continued as I’ve led hundreds of people in outdoor activities over the years. I’ve seen firsthand that when people have a connection with their environment (whether that be a national park or the middle of their city), our environmental challenges become more real and personal for them, and so too does their desire to meet those challenges.
That is why Sierra Club Outings plays a foundational role in our longterm organizing and advocacy. When asked about the impact outings have on people, Lehman Holder, long-time Loo Wit outings leader, shared, “Outings are educational, for the leader and for the participants. Every time I lead an outing, I learn something, both about a participant, or about where we are. Outings also acquaint people with issues Sierra Club is focused on, or on any possible issues with the outing location.“
But it's not just participants who are impacted by these experiences. Reflecting on his role as an outings leader, Lehman adds, “Because of the amazing people I've met, and the incredible places I've seen, outings have enriched my life [...] I truly enjoy being with participants on an outing. I've always believed leading outings can do the same for anyone.”
Because that’s the thing about engaging people in the outdoors -- it's not just about building that relationship between people and nature; it’s also about the relationships built with one another in the process. While experiencing the places we want to protect gives us the knowledge and drive to act -- it is sharing those experiences with others that creates a community, and it is in community where our power to create change really lies.
Nationally Sierra Club engages over 250,000 people a year through outings organized and led by over 5,000 volunteer outings leaders. Here in Washington, our local Groups and Inspiring Connections Outdoors program have played a huge role in connecting new folks to the outdoors and to Sierra Club’s advocacy work. While the pandemic put outings on hold until this past July, many of our local Groups have started organizing outings again. As the Washington Chapter, we will be relaunching our own outings program soon, starting with a New Outings Leader Training hosted by our Public Lands Group in mid-September.
It is no secret that the environmental challenges we face are immense and ever-growing, which means we need each other now more than ever. So whether you join an outing as a participant or sign up to become an outings leader, I hope to see you out there! Let’s learn together, get inspired, have fun, and find our people, so we can face these challenges and meet the moment together.
Want to bring people outside to explore, enjoy, and help protect our region's most beautiful places? Become a Sierra Club outings leader! The Sierra Club Outings program trains volunteers to lead a variety of outings from short local hikes to longer treks and service trips. Training to be an outings leader can help you develop the skills and confidence you need to help others have safe and enjoyable experiences outdoors, while also teaching others how to advocate for the places they love!
RSVP for our FREE virtual Training!