Nurturing Community – Wild Rivers Conservancy
As published in the Intercounty Leader on June 28, 2023
Wild Rivers Conservancy is proud to be the official nonprofit partner of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Our mission is to inspire stewardship and ensure the rare ecological integrity of the St. Croix and Namekagon Riverway. This means that we work hard to protect the riverway we cherish while celebrating the recreational opportunities it offers.
Our organization has a long and proud history of caring for the St. Croix River valley, dating all the way back to 1911 when we were founded as the St. Croix River Association. Since then, we have grown into a thriving community of passionate staff, dedicated board members, and many community partners all coming together on this important work.
At Wild Rivers Conservancy, we believe that conservation is a community effort. That’s why we rely on the help of volunteers to expand our reach and accomplish our goals. Thanks to the generous support of the Northwest Alliance Community Foundation, we were able to create a joint volunteer program with the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. This program has allowed us to hire a volunteer coordinator and jump-start a robust volunteer program in partnership with the National Park Service.
Our volunteers are truly the lifeblood of our organization. They help with invasive species monitoring and removal, water quality efforts, and providing safe and memorable experiences on our river paddle programs. Our K-12 environmental education curriculum, Rivers Are Alive, served over 6,000 students in 2022, thanks in large part to our dedicated volunteer educators.
But our volunteers do more than just support our educational and conservation initiatives. They also engage in stewardship activities that give them a deeper understanding and appreciation of the river’s value, motivating them to become advocates for its protection. At Wild Rivers Conservancy, we believe that everyone who lives, works, and plays in the St. Croix River watershed has a role to play in celebrating and preserving this national treasure for generations to come.
To learn about ways in which you can help, contact the Wild Rivers Conservancy: website, https://www.wildriversconservancy.org/; Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/wildriversconservancy; email, info@wildriversconservancy.org; phone, 715-483-3300.
The Northwest Alliance Community Foundation is an affiliate of the St. Croix Valley Foundation. We support our area nonprofits with educational opportunities and grants. Please consider joining us by making a donation. See our website nacommunityfoundation.org for more information or email nacf.hq@gmail.com.
