As committed as Patagonia is to producing well-made, eco-friendly clothing, the company also considers making a positive environmental impact of equal importance. Patagonia chooses an annual theme - which is featured prominently in their catalogue and store displays - in an effort to increase awareness on a particular topic.

From 2002 to 2003, Patagona chose the theme "Big, Wild & Connected," a focus on the North American corridors which allow animals to roam freely in protected areas. Now, as global warming begins to have a significant effect on the animals' habitats, Patagonia has decided to revisit that campaign, but instead of a year or two project, will make the Freedom to Roam initiative a longer-term focus. Rick Ridgeway, company VP of Environmental Initiatives hopes the efforts will unite environmentalists, ranchers, hunters, and urban and rural dwellers and draw the spotlight to this issue.

Our first goal is to educate all of us regarding the three great north-south corridors – “wildways” that connect existing protected areas along the Pacific Crest, the Continental Divide and the Atlantic Spine. These three wildways, in turn, connect to The Big Wild, that great arc of boreal forest north of the Trans-Canadian Highway.

Second, we hope to coordinate groups already working to protect parcels within the three wildways so that, united, their voices will have more volume and influence in the governments of countries on the North American continent. (This includes ranchers and those in rural communities who live within the wildways. Without accommodating the needs and wisdom of rural residents, this initiative will not succeed.)

Third, we want to inspire a broad and deep grassroots awareness of this challenge and mobilize thousands of people to venture into the wildways, to hike and climb and paddle and camp, to bear witness to the wonders of the wildlands and the wildlife within them. Finally, we plan to entreat, implore, cajole, embarrass – whatever it takes – to persuade our lawmakers to pass legislation and to allocate the resources needed to establish the corridors.

Hit the jump to visit Patagonia's Freedome to Roam information page and learn how you can become involved in this project.

» Patagonia (Official Site)