Leaders at Signature Environmental Forum

Date: March 11, 2010
Contact: David Shaw, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, [phone]
Contact: Kat English / Cindy MacKenzie, MacKenzie Communications, [phone]

Institute at the Golden Gate Unites Divers Cross-Sector Leaders at Signature ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM

Turning the Tide Returns to Fort Baker April 14-16, 2010 to Explore Creative Solutions to Global Sustainability Issues

(SAUSALITO, CA)—March 4, 2010: The Institute at the Golden Gate reinforces its mission to “connect, collaborate, inspire and act” on behalf of the environment by holding its second annual Turning the Tide conference, April 14-16, 2010. Over three days, the Institute will host several hundred environmentalists, scientists, business leaders, philanthropists, social entrepreneurs and youth activists at its headquarters at Fort Baker in Sausalito. 

As in 2009, this year’s Turning the Tide will unite eco-innovators from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines—reflecting the collaborative mission of the Institute, a program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy in partnership with the National Park Service.  Industry leaders representing a diverse cross-section of expertise and perspectives will gather at the Institute to forge solutions to today’s most pressing environmental issues—from climate change and the health of the oceans to water conservation, waste management and wildlife preservation.

To date, confirmed participants include natural health guru Dr. Andrew Weil; sustainable food leader Alice Waters; Nobel Laureate and climate scientist Stephen Schneider; Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Kennedy; Ocean Voyages Institute president Mary Crowley, and many others. Eco-adventurer David de Rothschild, a 2009 Turning the Tide participant, is scheduled to participate via live satellite feed from his Plastiki catamaran as he navigates the Pacific on his quest to raise awareness of ocean pollution. In addition, several of last year’s Turning the Tide participants will be on hand to discuss the actions that resulted from their attendance in 2009.

In an effort to reach a broad global audience, the Institute will webcast several conference keynotes and breakout sessions during Turning the Tide, and will engage the public in real-time discussions via Twitter and Facebook feeds. All interactive components can be accessed through the Institute’s home page at www.instituteatgoldengate.org.

Turning the Tide will again be held at Cavallo Point–the Lodge at the Golden Gate, at Fort Baker in Sausalito, just north of San Francisco by the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. Over the past year, the partnership behind the transformation of Fort Baker from a former U.S. military base into the nation’s newest and most stunning national park lodge has been recognized with a bevy of sustainability awards, including the Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation; the 2009 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) from the State of California; and, most recently, LEED® Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

For more information on Turning the Tide, including ticketing, updated scheduling, and speaker details, please visit www.instituteatgoldengate.org or call [phone].  

Editors Please Note: Press access to Turning the Tide 2010 is limited and must be reserved in advance. Media credentials will only be issued to employees or contracted representatives of established media organizations (newspaper, magazine, television, radio, or online/blog) with a specific assignment toward coverage of the event. To apply for a press pass, please contact Katherine English or Cindy MacKenzie at MacKenzie Communications: [phone] or [e-mail].

About the Institute at the Golden Gate

The Institute at the Golden Gate is a program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, in partnership with the National Park Service, promoting dialogue, collaboration, and action for a sustainable world. The Institute draws on the talent, innovation, and motivation of the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, and from the magnificent facilities at Fort Baker and Cavallo Point–the Lodge at the Golden Gate, to foster relationships with a diverse, cross-sector array of groups, organizations and individuals who share a common commitment to environmental action and change. www.instituteatgoldengate.org

About the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

The Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit membership organization created to preserve the Golden Gate National Parks, enhance the experiences of park visitors, and build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future. The Conservancy is an authorized “cooperating association” of the National Park Service, and is one of more than 70 such nonprofit organizations working with national parks around the country. To learn more, please visit www.parksconservancy.org or call [phone].

About the National Park Service

The National Park Service (NPS) is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior charged with managing the preservation and public use of America’s most significant natural, scenic, historic and cultural treasures. The NPS manages the Golden Gate National Parks, as well as 390 other park sites across the U.S. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/goga or call [phone].

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