Orvis Highlights Conservation and Access in 2021 Impact Report

In celebration of Earth Day, Orvis, the family-owned and -operated  outdoor retailer that specializes in fly-fishing and wingshooting gear, dog products and active lifestyle  apparel, releases its 2021 Impact Report, highlighting the contributions the brand and its patrons made  to protect wild places, increase participation in sporting activities and improve canine well-being  throughout the year. In 2021, Orvis supported 115 non-profit organizations and raised $1.5 million  through Orvis donations and customer and non-profit partner matches. Read the Orvis 2021 Impact  Report here.  

“From preserving and restoring massive ecosystems to fly-fishing retreats for those battling severe  illness, working with our partners to sustain wild places and building pathways to enjoy them is  fundamental to Orvis,” says Laura Schaffer, Vice President of Conservation and Sustainability at Orvis. “A  deep connection with the natural world gives our lives purpose, connects us with one another and  makes us happy and healthy. These are values we share with millions of anglers, hunters and outdoor  enthusiasts everywhere, and it is our responsibility and privilege to ensure something so important is  sustained for future generations.” 

Protection Efforts for Bristol Bay and Everglades 

In 2021 Orvis, Trout Unlimited (TU) and our customers raised over $600,000 to support the ongoing  work to maintain a pristine Bristol Bay and the largest sockeye salmon run in the world for the people  and communities that rely on it. Funding supported the Save Bristol Bay Guide Ambassador Program,  where 71 fishing and hunting guides from the region completed trainings with TU staff to foster  conversations and calls to action with interested clients, building community around a shared  commitment to conserving the resource.  

For the 12th year, funding also supported the Bristol Bay Fly Fishing Guide Academy, providing local  indigenous students with a week-long introduction to fly fishing and the skills needed to be a guide in  the Bristol Bay lodge and tourism industry. The program is offered at no cost and graduated 10 students  in 2021. 

Orvis and the Everglades Foundation continued the critical work to restoring the flow of freshwater  south through the Everglades and into Florida Bay, in our collective efforts to bring back an ecosystem  on the verge of extinction, by raising and donating over $53,000. Progress was made in 2021, including  the completion of the nearly 30-year restoration of the Kissimmee River, and the removal of the old  Tamiami Trail roadbed, allowing 220 billion gallons of freshwater to flow again into the Everglades and  Florida Bay. 

Breaking Barriers with Minority Outdoor Alliance

Bird hunter, podcast host and co-founder of the Minority Outdoor Alliance, Durrell Smith received the 2021 Orvis Breaking Barriers Award for his work to bring new communities into wingshooting and create important conversations on the future of our shared outdoor passions. Based in Atlanta, Smith co-founded the  Minority Outdoor Alliance (MOA) with his wife, Ashley, in 2020. The non-profit organization aims to  “inspire folks from all backgrounds and ethnicities to participate in hunting, fishing, and all other active  outdoor pursuits on safe and diverse public lands and waters.” In September Orvis sponsored MOA’s first annual Outdoor Festival hosted at the Orvis Shooting Grounds at Pursell Farms in Central Alabama.