As the oldest and largest paddlesports organization in the United States, the ACA has always been a passionate advocate for paddlers, ensuring that our collective interests are represented on the local, state, and national levels.
Since our founding in 1880, the ACA has been a trailblazer in advancing the cause of paddlesports. Through our advocacy work, we’ve achieved significant victories that directly benefit you, the paddling community, and future generations of paddlers. From advocating for safety to influencing policies surrounding paddlesports education and boat regulations, the ACA has consistently been at the forefront of protecting and expanding our access to paddlesports. You can learn more about these stories through in the ACA Policy Issues Archives. These stories highlight many of our hard-won successes, which include efforts to ensure equitable access to waterways, safeguard paddling environments, and protect against unnecessary taxation and regulations that could impact paddlers across the country.
As much as we’ve accomplished, there’s still much work to be done. The ACA is uniquely positioned to continue to be the voice of the paddling community, not just on federal policy, but even more so on the local and state levels. One of the most exciting recent developments in our advocacy efforts is the creation of the Regional Activity Council (RAC)—our newest council designed to give paddlers the opportunity to advocate for local issues in your community. Whether it’s addressing access fees, advocating for more paddling-friendly regulations, or fighting for better education and safety measures, this grassroots arm of the ACA helps all of us ensure that every paddler’s voice is heard. In the ACA’s 145th year serving paddlers, we are launching an initiative to increase the volume and impact of our collective voice.
Our goal is simple: one policy letter per month to keep you informed and engaged in advocacy efforts that matter most to you. We will highlight these advocacy efforts in our monthly newsletter, include a summary of the issue, and provide any actionable steps for advocacy that paddlers can take. We hope our efforts to spotlight contributions from members just like you will inspire paddlers across the country to get engaged. Your input helps drive the ACA’s policy initiatives—no experience is required. Whether you’re a seasoned advocate or just starting, we are here to support you.
What can you do?
We invite you to reach out and share any local or state-level paddling issues you think are important. Whether it is a concern in your area or a broader paddling-related issue that needs attention, we want to hear from you. Together, we can take on challenges such as the regulation of life jackets, tax policies on boats, access fees, and more. Your input, your perspective, and your commitment are key to growing our advocacy work and ensuring that the ACA remains a powerful force for paddlers everywhere.
In closing, we encourage you to join us in making 2025 a year where we grow our voice, expand our influence, and continue representing the best of the paddling community. Together, we can ensure that the ACA continues to serve as a strong advocate for paddlers of all kinds, in every state and region, now and into the future.
Please feel free to reach out to me, Brett Mayer, directly with any questions, ideas, or to get started in becoming an advocate. I look forward to working with you to advance the paddlesports policies that matter most.
Read below to see a recent example of a member that reached out and the resulting advocacy letter that resulted through the collaboration.
Thank you so much for your time, and I hope to see you on the water!
Sincerely,
Brett Mayer
Policy Director
American Canoe Association
bmayer@americancanoe.org
How to Reach Out & How the ACA Can Help
Dear ACA,
We’re working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to attempt to reopen a section of the river that flows through their Patuxent Wildlife Refuge that’s been closed for decades. It’s downstream of the section we paddle currently, but would add another 10 miles of amazing river to explore through the refuge. Wish us luck! If there’s someone at ACA that would be interested in partnering with us to get it reopened, we would welcome the assistance.
It’s a special river and has been closed to any paddling for decades, but the section we have access to gives hundreds of kids and families from DC who have never been on the water a great introduction to the sport.
Sincerely,
Member
Following a series of corresponding emails, a little research, and a few telephone conversations, the following letter resulted from this initial correspondence.
Dear Little Patuxent Wildlife Refuge Managers,
I am writing on behalf of the American Canoe Association (ACA) to express our strong support for the Oasis Reserve Youth Leadership Program and its request for special use permits to access the Little Patuxent River within the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge. As the nation’s oldest and largest paddlesports organization, the ACA serves as the National Governing Body (NGB) for Olympic disciplines including Canoe Slalom, Canoe Sprint, and the Paralympic Sport of Paracanoe. We also promote and support a wide range of other paddlesports governed by the International Canoe Federation (ICF), including Kayak-Polo and Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP). We are the nation’s oldest and largest paddlesports organization, serving the paddling community since 1880 through our paddlesports education programs, waterway stewardship and public policy work.
The ACA is dedicated to fostering the growth and enjoyment of paddlesports through education, safety certification, conservation initiatives, and the sanctioning of paddling events. Our mission aligns with the goals of the Oasis Reserve Youth Leadership Program, which uses nature-based activities like kayaking and paddleboarding to help at-risk youth build confidence, resilience, and leadership skills. Since its inception in March 2023, the Oasis Reserve has made a profound impact on the youth of the District of Columbia, offering them a safe and supportive environment in which to learn, grow, and heal.
The Oasis Reserve’s current campus, located on 800 acres of land in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, provides a dynamic setting for youth and families from all eight wards of the District of Columbia. Among the many programs it offers, kayaking and paddleboarding on the Little Patuxent River stand out as unique and invaluable opportunities for participants to connect with nature and deepen their understanding of environmental stewardship. Currently, the program has access to a two-mile stretch of the river that flows through their property. However, extending this access to include the section of the river that flows through the adjacent Patuxent Wildlife Refuge would offer a significantly richer experience for program participants.
This expanded access would provide the Oasis Youth Leadership Program with a more secluded and pristine river environment, enhancing the therapeutic and educational benefits of paddlesports as a tool for healing, empowerment, and skill development. It would also support the program’s broader mission of environmental education and workforce development by allowing youth to engage more deeply with the natural world, as well as fostering a sense of ownership and stewardship for the environment.
In addition to the youth and families served by the Oasis Reserve, this program partners with young adults at the Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy and committed youth at the Maya Angelou See Forever School at New Beginnings. The expansion of river access to the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge would deepen the impact of this violence prevention initiative and offer an even greater opportunity for these young people to experience personal growth, environmental education, and transformative learning.
The American Canoe Association stands firmly in support of the Oasis Reserve Youth Leadership Program’s request for special use permits to paddle into the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge. We encourage the relevant authorities to approve this request and allow the program to continue its vital work of promoting youth development, environmental stewardship, and violence prevention within the District of Columbia.
Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. We would be happy to provide further information or discuss the benefits of this initiative in greater detail.
Sincerely,
Brett Mayer
Public Policy Director
American Canoe Association
bmayer@americancanoe.org