By Robin Carr
Some stories are about conservation. Others are about history. Every so often, a story brings together environmental restoration, Indigenous leadership and community renewal that go beyond a single announcement.
That was the case when Save the Redwoods League asked Landis Communications Inc. (Landis) to support the launch of the ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway, a landmark project that transformed 125 acres of former industrial land near Redwood National and State Parks into a restored public gateway that is now owned and operated by the Yurok Tribe.
The announcement marked the culmination of years of restoration work and fulfilled Save the Redwoods League’s public commitment to return the land to its original stewards. It also represented the first tribally owned and operated gateway to a U.S. national park.
With a story of this significance, our goal was to help journalists understand why this moment mattered.
Our team developed a media relations strategy centered on the project’s most compelling storylines. Alongside a joint press release from Save the Redwoods League and the Yurok Tribe, we coordinated spokesperson interviews, distributed a media advisory for the July 31 ribbon-cutting ceremony, and conducted targeted outreach to environmental, outdoor recreation and general assignment reporters throughout California and nationally.
Rather than focusing solely on the new visitor destination, our outreach emphasized three themes that made the project unique:
- The return of ancestral Yurok land and the creation of the first tribally owned and operated gateway to a national park.
- The remarkable ecological restoration of a former lumber mill site, where a creek once buried beneath asphalt now supports endangered coho salmon and hundreds of thousands of native plants have been restored.
- The long-term economic and cultural benefits the project will bring to Orick and the surrounding North Coast community.
The Story Quickly Gained Traction
Within 24 hours of the announcement, media outlets across California began publishing coverage. The Los Angeles Times highlighted the significance of the land return and its importance to the Yurok people, with the story later syndicated to additional newspapers. The San Francisco Chronicle featured the new trail and visitor experience, while SFGATE explored how the Yurok Tribe is now able to tell its own story at the park’s newest gateway. The Mercury News and Bay Area News Group also covered the restoration and land transfer, helping the announcement reach readers throughout Northern California.
Media coverage extended beyond environmental reporting into outdoor recreation, Indigenous affairs and general news, demonstrating the broad appeal of the project.
What made this campaign successful wasn’t the scale of the announcement, it was the authenticity of the story itself.
There are countless conservation projects every year. Far fewer involve restoring a former industrial site over multiple years and returning it to the Indigenous nation whose ancestral homeland it has always been. Combined with visuals of restored salmon habitat, native grasslands and towering redwoods, the project gave journalists a story that was historically significant and visually compelling.
Timing Is Everything
Timing also played an important role. Announcing the project just days before the public opening created a natural news hook while giving feature writers and outdoor reporters an opportunity to introduce readers to a destination they could immediately experience.
The result was widespread earned media coverage that helped introduce millions of readers to the ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway while showcasing Save the Redwoods League’s collaborative approach to conservation and tribal partnership.
As Yurok Tribe Chairman Joseph L. James said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony:
“I hope it sets a national standard for collaboration between environmental protection groups and Tribal nations.”
At Landis Communications, we’re proud to help clients tell stories. The opening of the ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway wasn’t just the launch of a new destination, it marked the fulfillment of a promise and the beginning of an important new chapter for the Yurok Tribe, Save the Redwoods League and everyone who will experience this remarkable place.