New Explorers & A Note from Stephanie

Our new Explorers design represents my dream way to spend time outdoors… exploring MAGNIFICENT natural places! Exploring nature inspires the vast majority of the artwork I create that then becomes our embroidered designs. It also fills me with joy, fulfillment, awe, and humility that is not replicable by any other means.

I would like to take this opportunity, as we launch our new nature-inspired designs, to not only share some of my personal inspirations behind the Explorers, but to also ask you to consider acting on behalf of wildlife and natural places by submitting a public comment in opposition to the rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule .

If you are not familiar, the 2001 Roadless Rule is a federal policy that protects 58 million acres of backcountry forests by limiting new road construction and large-scale logging, while still allowing recreation and responsible management. Despite widespread opposition, the US Forest Service seeks to lift protections across 45 million acres of national forestlands.

I have had the immense privilege to experience the pristine wilderness that is currently under threat. These natural areas keep habitats intact, preserve wildlife, headwaters, old forests, and provide clean air. The new Explorers design draws on my personal experiences in the backcountry; let’s take a look!

Original Pencil Drawing of Coral & Tusk Explorer Fox and Bear

Behind the Design

This year we wanted to add to our well-loved Camping Collection. Our new Explorers design includes Fox and Bear all geared up with their campsite set up. Their gear is informed by the same gear my husband and I use to explore the backcountry. When exploring the wilderness, you pack everything you need right on your back to live outside for a long weekend, or longer if you have the time! I did add some elements I wish I had in my gear, like merit badges and an owl!

Stephanie's fabric Girl Scout merit badges

Here is a quick comparison to what I actually look like in the backcountry:

Coral & Tusk founder Stephanie Housley backpacking in Wyoming

And while we don’t sleep in a fancy wall tent complete with comfy cots, bed rolls, and lanterns like Explorer Fox and Bear, we do pitch our small but absolutely awesome tent wherever the adventure takes us. Which is the most ideal way to set up base camp in the backcountry and take explore days from there:

Stephanie's tent set up in the wilderness surrounded by mountains

Submit a Public Comment

Whether you have had the enormous honor of recreating on public lands in remote, roadless areas or not (I hope you have!), taking the time to submit a comment to preserve them would be a great service. The best way to do so is to comment directly here:

https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FS-2025-0001-223869?sourceid=1088211&emci=0836266f-fc9f-f111-9b33-0022482a9f1d&emdi=2b2a554a-9da0-f111-9b33-0022482a9f1d&ceid=9756831

If you’ve submitted a public comment before, that’s amazing! But if you haven’t, don’t worry! It can be intimidating at first, so here are some simple guidelines:

Introduce yourself and your connection to our National Forests.
Share that you strongly support the “No Action” Alternative 1 that would maintain protections for our Roadless Forests, and that you strongly oppose Alternatives 2 and 3, which would strip their protections.
Explain that Roadless Areas are critical to fresh drinking water, animal habitat, and opportunities for recreational access.
Remind the USDA that the existing roads on our National Forest lands lack funding for maintenance and upkeep, making it irresponsible and nonsensical to build more.
Out of a very lengthy list of reasons to keep the Roadless Rule in place, perhaps the most relevant and important argument is that it is what the American people, whose public lands it protects, are in overwhelming favor of! This is clearly exemplified by last year's public comment period on the same topic; 99% of the 625,737 comments received were in favor of keeping the Roadless Rule intact!