River Voices: February 2019

Welcome to the February 2019 edition of River Voices. Read about how diverse stakeholders are uniting to keep water flowing in the Colorado River. Plus, meet River Network’s Institutional Relations Director, Leslie Woollenweber, and Juliana Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Watershed Project, and check out the latest webinars and funding opportunities.

Ag and Water in the West

Last October, with support from the Walton Family Foundation, River Network gathered 30 stakeholders implementing environmental water transaction projects in the American West. Attendees arrived in the red rock canyons of Moab, Utah from a dozen different states to share successes and discuss the state of the practice.

In most western states, water is scarce and competition for it is abundant. Water to support a recreational economy or sustain river health is difficult to secure, and it’s often presented as a choice between watering crops, growing cities, or preserving the environment. But over those three days in Moab, those gathered discussed solutions that are win-win-win. Read the full story on our blog.

Registration Open!

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River Rally 2019 takes place along the banks of the Cuyahoga River and marks the last time that river caught fire from unregulated pollution 50 years ago, a pivotal event that sparked the environmental movement that led to the establishment of the Clean Water Act. You don’t want to miss this one! Explore the River Rally 2019 program and register.

2018 Highlights

We are proud of our network’s 2018 accomplishments as we step into a productive 2019. We are grateful for our members, participants, staff, business partners, and supporters, without whom none of these wins would be possible. Check out 2018 highlights in the River Network 2018 Annual Report.

Meet Our Team

Meet Leslie Woollenweber, River Network’s Institutional Relations Director. Leslie worked in humanitarian aid, outdoor recreation, and land conservation before joining River Network. Off duty, Leslie delights in creating pollinator habitat, amateur homesteading, and spending time with her rescue dogs on local trails. Read more about Leslie’s work.

The fact that something is unseen does not make it unimportant. Think of your own circulatory system. You can see some veins in your hands and arms, and feel the pulse in your carotid artery with your finger. But you can’t see the capillaries – tiny channels that support vital processes. Nutrients, oxygen and carbon dioxide move between your blood and the fluids surrounding the cells of your body, passing through the capillaries. These systems resemble maps of river networks, like the small tributary rivers that feed into great rivers such as the Mississippi or the Columbia.

–Ellen Wohl, Professor of Geosciences, Colorado State University, writing for The Conversation

As a network, we gather strength through our connections—through shared ideas, shared resources, and a supportive community that understands the challenges of our work. Now, you can help a new organization connect and grow (for not one but two years!) by sponsoring a full-benefits membership. Starting this month, sponsored full-benefits memberships will be DOUBLED by a generous donor. Sponsor today at the $200 level to support grassroots organizations.

Meet Our Network: Juliana Gonzalez

From urban water advocates to wild and scenic river champions, we are lucky to know and work with these local heroes who safeguard water for our families and communities.

We invite you to get to know outstanding water champions taking action for clean water and healthy rivers from coast to coast. Click here to meet Juliana Gonzalez.

2019 Emerging Leader Award

River Network is excited to announce the new Emerging Leader River Hero Award. The award provides early-career recognition for an individual working at the intersection of water and justice.

The recipient will be honored at River Rally 2019 and will receive financial assistance for travel, lodging, and registration. The self-nomination process is open through March 15th. Apply today through River Rally registration.

Are you planning, designing, or implementing on-the-ground restoration projects that will restore river flows and/or recharge ground water? Would you like the opportunity to share your projects with businesses who may be interested in providing support for your projects? If the answer is “Yes!” be sure to check out the Business for Water Stewardship Project Bank, an opportunity for paid members of River Network to use a national platform to attract funding.

Upcoming Webinars & Events

Understanding Nonprofit Financial Management

February 14, 1:00–2:30 pm EST. Is your organization struggling to produce timely financial reports or to help the board understand its financial health? This webinar will cover finance basics for board and staff. We will discuss best practices for budgeting, tracking, and reporting to help you visualize critical financial information for your organization. Premium webinar open to paid River Network members only. Register.

Ensuring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Your Programs

March 14, 1:00–2:30 pm EST. River Network seeks to promote Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in our work and the work of organizations across our network. In this webinar will we will share River Network’s principles for EDI and our equity assessment tool and help you re-imagine your work through an equity lens. Premium webinar open to paid River Network members only. Register.

Vernal Poolooza Science Conference

April 4-6, Ashland, Ohio. Vernal Poolooza is a 3-day conference on vernal pools. The Ohio Vernal Pool Network, a committee of Ohio Wetlands Association, has participated in one-day vernal pool workshops for 15 years. Feedback from participants has encouraged us to provide more detail, depth and diversity of activities and topics. The 2019 Vernal Poolooza is our first full conference to address these needs. Learn more.