Yerba Madre Commits $100,000 to America's National Parks and Calls on Congress to Pass the America the Beautiful Act
As federal funding for parks faces an uncertain future, Yerba Madre launches its largest Earth Month activation yet: 500,000 free cans, 50,000 native trees, and a call to action for park advocates nationwide
OAKLAND, Calif. and LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Yerba Madre, the category leader in yerba mate, is marking Earth Month by expanding the regenerative model it has built for 30 years. The company today announced a $100,000 commitment to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and is calling on members of Congress to pass the America the Beautiful Act. This legislation would provide billions in critical funding to address crumbling roads, aging infrastructure, and outdated water systems across national parks and public lands. The investment is urgently needed as maintenance backlogs grow and environmental pressures intensify.
Throughout April, Yerba Madre invites its community to urge Congress to pass the America the Beautiful Act through NPCA's action alert, giving supporters a direct line to elected officials to help protect and restore the nation's parks and public lands.
"Six years ago, America came together to call for funding to fix America's national parks, and Congress listened," said Tiernan Sittenfeld, President and CEO of National Parks Conservation Association. "That dedicated funding has helped the National Park Service complete more than 560 high-priority repair projects across the country. They've repaired roads and bridges, upgraded drinking and wastewater systems and improved campgrounds. Unfortunately, the funding has ended, but more maintenance needs remain. We are proud to stand with Yerba Madre and park advocates across the country, as we come together again and call on Congress to renew this investment in our parks, and in our shared legacy."
The $100,000 commitment is the anchor of Yerba Madre's broader Earth Month activation. Throughout April, the brand will run its 'Drink a Yerba, Plant a Tree' initiative, funding the restoration of one native tree for every can purchased, with a goal of planting 50,000 native trees. On Earth Day itself, Yerba Madre will give away 500,000 free cans nationwide through participating retailer loyalty apps — including Circle K, 7-Eleven, RaceTrac, Love's, ExtraMile, and Jacksons — marking the first time its Regenerative Organic Certified® seal will appear on-can for Original Unsweetened Yerba.
"Earth Month is a chance to open the door wider," said Emily Kortlang, Chief Marketing Officer of Yerba Madre. "Regeneration has shaped this company for three decades. In April, we invite our community to support public lands and choose products that give back. Because of how we're built, growth drives impact. More yerba mate shared means more restoration in the systems we all depend on."
The announcement also marks a milestone: the national scale of the first Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) on-can yerba mate in the world, starting with Original Unsweetened Yerba. It builds on the recent rollout of the first Shade-Grown seal on loose-leaf mate, codifying a forest-first sourcing model Yerba Madre introduced to the category nearly 30 years ago.
Unlike traditional offset programs, Yerba Madre's Market Driven Regeneration™ model integrates restoration directly into its supply chain. Shade-grown yerba mate cultivation protects native forest canopy, rebuilds soil health, and supports biodiversity while sustaining farming families across Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. The company is a founding B Corp and a founding member of the newly launched Purpose Pledge, a coalition of mission-driven brands embedding impact into core business operations.
"Restoration is long-term work," said Rocío Bermúdez-Pose, Head of Impact at Yerba Madre and recipient of the 2026 Climate Collaborative Forest Action Leadership Award. "By sourcing shade-grown yerba mate, we help restore and protect the Atlantic Forest — its water, soil and biodiversity. Partnering with NPCA to protect public lands is part of the same mission: keeping ecosystems alive."
Founded in 1996 to help restore the Atlantic Forest, one of the most threatened and biodiverse ecosystems on Earth — Yerba Madre pioneered shade-grown yerba mate in partnership with Indigenous and small farmer communities. Today, the company remains the first Regenerative Organic Certified® Gold yerba mate producer in the world and represents approximately nine out of ten ready-to-drink yerba mate cans sold in the United States.
Learn more about the America the Beautiful Act and take action at NPCA.org. To learn more about Yerba Madre, visit YerbaMadre.com or follow @yerbamadre.
About Yerba Madre
Yerba Madre—formerly Guayakí Yerba Mate—is the 30-year pioneer of regenerative yerba mate [yer-bah ma-tay] and the category leader in ready-to-drink mate beverages across North America. The name Yerba Madre is a tribute to Mother Earth and the ancestral wisdom of the Indigenous communities who have cultivated yerba mate for generations—a reflection of the values the brand has championed since day one.
Headquartered in Oakland and Los Angeles, California, Yerba Madre sources regenerative, organic, shade-grown yerba mate in direct partnership with 257 Indigenous and farmer families across Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Using its Market Driven Regeneration™ model, every purchase helps conserve and restore the Atlantic Forest, support fair trade premiums, and build long-term economic resilience for grower communities.
Yerba Madre is proudly the first yerba mate to be Regenerative Organic Certified® and the first company in South America to achieve ROC™ Gold status, marking a dual milestone in regenerative agriculture and ethical sourcing. This achievement affirms the brand's leadership in regenerative business. The ROC™ seal debuted on Yerba Madre packaging for Traditional Air-Dried Loose Leaf and Mate Bags in May 2025.
As one of the original founding B Corps, Yerba Madre is committed to ethical business practices across ten key pillars, including climate action, living wages, circularity, and inclusion. Yerba Madre is available in over 45,000 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada. To learn more, visit www.YerbaMadre.com.
About the National Parks Conservation Association
Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation's most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
SOURCE Yerba Madre
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