On June 10, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters celebrated 8 individuals for advancing conservation efforts throughout New Jersey. Among them was Renata Barnes, who received a Changemaker Award for her work as the director of engagement and programs for the Outdoor Equity Alliance.
As relative newcomers, OEA and Renata Barnes bring a fresh perspective to the conservation space compared to seasoned recipients that included Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Councilman Kaleem Shabazz, Cindy Ehrenclou of the Raritan Headwater Association, Carleton Montgomery of Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Julia Somers of NJ Highlands Coalition, and Wyatt Earp of IBEW.
Outdoor Equity Alliance strives to ensure that everybody has access to nature and its associated health, wellness, and economic benefits.
“Being a woman of color in the environmental sector is important. Hearing the voices, experiences, and history from people who have traditionally been disenfranchised from the environment is imperative if we are to move forward in addressing these issues, (by) creating the reality of equity and equality in the environmental space,” Barnes says.
As its name suggests, the Outdoor Equity Alliance is able to maximize their impact through its’ extensive network and alliances. OEA collaborates with educational institutions, nonprofits, and likeminded government agencies, businesses, and individuals,
“Receiving this award is a great opportunity for me to highlight the work of the Outdoor Equity Alliance,” Barnes adds. “We’ve got great partnerships with people all over the state.”
This recognition is even more impressive since the Outdoor Equity Alliance has only been an independent nonprofit for less than a year. Prior to that time, OEA was fiscally sponsored by Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space.
Since becoming its own nonprofit, the OEA has seen a tremendous increase in its community impact, infrastructure, staffing, funding, and statewide visibility.
Origin story. In 2019, Aaron Watson, Executive Director of the Mercer County Park Commission and I, Lisa Wolff, executive director of FOHVOS convened a group of stakeholders to discuss how we could expand the reach and impact of our public green spaces. What started as a sleepy grassroots coalition picked up steam during Covid as awareness of the importance of both the outdoors and equity initiative became mainstream.
A FoHVOS paid internship project, which teamed Hopewell high schoolers with Boys & Girls Club of Mercer County students to partner to fight climate change by learning conservation and land stewardship methods, was the inspiration for OEA’s flagship workforce development programs. Renata Barnes became the first dedicated OEA staff member and expanded outreach and partnered programming.
OEA completed a 3-year strategic plan, secured seed money from the Princeton Area Community Foundation Bunbury Fund, completed bylaws and policy, and brought on an interim Executive Director. By mid-2023, before OEA became its own entity, its 7-person board included Alex Rivera, Damon Missouri, Eleanor Horne, Julio Badel, and Karen Andrada-Mims, as well as Aaron and me.
The Hopewell connection. While the OEA concept and funding originated under Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, the vision was always for it to become an independent organization whose leadership more closely resembled the population it serves. Yet even with a single-minded focus of leaving the nest, OEA leaned into its relationship with Hopewell Valley and were embraced by schools and the community. HVRSD students participated in the first internship programs. HVRSD teachers and students, led by Carolyn McGrath, worked with OEA to provide exposure and funds through their Green Week activities. HVRSD Superintendent Rosetta Treece was essential to the OEA Advisory Committee and was integral to the OEA’s formative strategic plan.
FoHVOS staff actively nurtured OEA growth and FoHVOS board members Dan Rubenstein, Ryan Kennedy, Rob Flory, Jaquan Levons, Jeffrey Osborn, Tomia MacQueen, and Mimi Turi all made personal efforts to foster its progression. Celebrated community members including Elaine Buck and Beverly Mills attended all of our fundraisers and many Valley residents generously donated time and money.
Extraordinary growth. In less than a year, Outdoor Equity Alliance bolstered its powerful foundation to accelerate their growth in all areas from infrastructure to programming and community impact.
Since becoming an independent nonprofit, OEA added the Northeast Organic Farming Association of NJ, REI, and the Kentfield Foundation as major funders in addition to PACF-Bunbury Fund. The OEA team has tripled its permanent staff and also employs contract personnel. In addition to NJLCV recognition, Renata Barnes has been a local keynote speaker. William Wilson, the permanent executive director, has propelled OEA as its leader. Elizabeth Reyes provides support to every part of the OEA.
OEA is a partner in $1.3 million federal grant to plant over 1,000 trees throughout Trenton. Federal Regional Greenhouse Grant Initiative funding is administered through the NJ-DEP. NJCF submitted the application and City of Trenton, Isles, the New Jersey Tree Foundation, and the Watershed Institute are also partner. OEA’s responsibility is focused solely on community engagement including implementing a third year of the successful Careers in Conservation internship. Graduates are offered paid work as Tree Ambassadors to promote the tree planting throughout Trenton.
Mercer County Community College students, as well as Upward Bound high schoolers, participate in both tree ambassador and OEA’s Agrihood internships. Agrihood graduated its third cohort on June 8. Final projects for the Agrihood relied on its Hopewell Valley roots. Projects took place at D&R Greenway’s St. Michaels Preserve, Howell Living Farm and Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum True Farmstead.
OEA has also partnered to bring the Juneteenth Freedom Day Ride since its inception four years ago for cyclists from all over the tri-state area come together to celebrate the Juneteenth Holiday with a ride through seven Mercer County towns, while viewing historical African American sites in the area.
As of today, the OEA board has grown to include HVRSD superintendent Rosetta Treece, Watershed Institute executive director Jim Waltman, NOFA executive director Devin Cornia, Outdoors On Purpose founder Tenisha Malcolm.
Congratulations to Renata Barnes and the entire OEA team. Watch for even more success and community impacts as its star continues to rise.
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