RiverSpeak Podcast

Podcast mini-series launching EARTH DAY, April 22, 2021.

Over 32 million people–roughly 10% of all Americans–live in metropolitan areas along three of America’s rivers–The Charles River of Boston, the Chicago River of the city that shares its name, and the Hudson River of New York.  

“New Life for America’s Big City Rivers” is a mini-series of three podcast episodes taking a deep dive into these rivers where a confluence of community activism, public-private collaboration, and the Clean Water Act of 1972 created the foundation for remarkable stories of stewardship progress and opportunity.  

Each of these rivers has a story of a turn-around; each of these rivers has a story of vision and passion; and, each of these rivers has a story of hope with eyes wide-open to the extraordinary challenges ahead. 

Join us for conversations with:

Laura Jasinski, of the Charles River Conservancy,

Margaret Frisbie with the Friends of the Chicago River, and

Robert Pirani, with the Hudson River Foundation.

This RiverSpeak Podcast series launches Earth Day, April 22, 2021. 

Listen at RiverSpeak.org or wherever you download your podcasts. 

In this episode, we hear from Lori Faeth, Government Relations Director of the Land Trust Alliance. Lori’s story takes us to Capitol Hill and the halls of Congress where she is a voice for those working in land and water conservation.

 We’ll learn about a decades long effort that led to the permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the American Great Outdoors Act. And we’ll hear from Lori about key policy priorities for land trusts and get her thoughts on what the horizon looks like as the Biden-Harris Administration begins to take shape. Along the way, we’ll follow Lori’s career path and gain insight into her passion and experience that fuels being a successful advocate for conservation at the national scale. Our episode concludes with Lori sharing a note and tip about Big Bend National Park.

To find out more about Lori Faeth’s work, go to the Land Trust Alliance. 

We’re excited to be able to bring Lori’s story to you and thank you for listening.

All rivers have stories that ripple. 

I’m Dave Koehler. Be well, and do good work!

In this episode of RiverSpeak Podcast, we hear from Sinjin Eberle, Communications Director of American Rivers.   

Sinjin grew up running rivers in Colorado and the Southwest.  We’ll learn about the San Juan River and the important role it’s played in shaping his passion for giving voice to rivers.  We’ll follow Sinjin’s career path to American Rivers and have front row seats into making films that tell the compelling story of protecting our rivers.  

We’ll also get a view of what’s on the horizon for river conservation as a new Biden-Harris White House Administration begins to take shape.  The episode includes a deep dive into some of the issues facing the Colorado River, and the importance of the outdoors during the Pandemic.  

We conclude with Sinjin joining a recent river ecology survey in the Grand Canyon and his thoughts on how we can all engage in local efforts to save our special places.  

 For additional information about Sinjin’s work, visit American Rivers.  Be sure to check out one of their most recent films, Water Flows Together— “For time immemorial, the Diné (Navajo) have considered the San Juan River sacred.” The film is told from the perspective of Colleen Cooley, and explores the ways in which her upbringing and her native identity have shaped the way she interacts with the world. “The film is a meditation on the challenges Colleen and her community have faced, the unique relationship she has with the San Juan River, and the unique opportunities her role as a river guide affords as she seeks to create positive change.”

We’re excited to bring Sinjin Eberle’s story to you, thanks for listening. 

All rivers have stories that ripple. 

I’m Dave Koehler.  Be well, and do good work. 

In this episode, we hear from Ed Roberson, Conservation Director with Palmer Land Trust and the Creator and Host of Mountain & Prairie podcast. 

Through Ed’s story we discover the Arkansas River in Colorado.  As you’ll hear in his voice, Ed loves the American West. We’ll learn how a high school kid from North Carolina got connected to the Arkansas River and the evolution of his career into conservation work. 

Along the way, we’ll explore the Arkansas River and gain insight into the tangled web of land and water in Colorado’s Front Range of the Rockies. We’ll also discover an important conservation approach Ed is leading to develop a system of protecting water and valuable farmland in the Lower Arkansas Valley by exchanging key parcels in less fertile areas. 

Our episode concludes with Ed sharing his passion around creating the Mountain & Praire podcast and experiences in the American West with his family.

For additional information about Ed’s work to preserve farms and ranches, visit Palmer Land Trust. And go to Mountain & Prairie podcast to listen and subscribe to Ed’s wonderful podcast series on the American West.  

We’re excited to bring Ed Roberson’s story to you, thanks for listening. 

All rivers have stories that ripple. 

I’m Dave Koehler.  Be well, and do good work. 

Prepare to get wet.

In this episode, we hear from Risa Shimoda, Executive Director of the River Management Society and Chair of USA Freestyle Kayaking and International Whitewater Hall of Fame. Risa’s story begins with her passion for dance and choreography evolving into the world of whitewater, and then developing skills that have carried her into competing on nine championship USA Freestyle Kayaking teams. 

We’ll learn about her work at the River Management Society (RMS), leading the way in support of professionals who study, protect and manage the use of North America’s rivers. RMS provides programs and services including an international symposium every other year, a national rivers geospatial database , a river training center, a river studies certificate program and much more.

We’ll also discover the Anacostia River, that flows from Maryland into D.C., through a story that challenges us to be intentional about addressing environmental justice and equity in providing access to the outdoors.

Our episode concludes with finding out why Risa considers the Middle Fork of the Feather River in California and the Watauga River, that flows from North Carolina into Tennessee, as two of her most favorite gems.

Risa oversees a couple of great web resources that are available to everyone:

1) the River Management Society provides access to an array of programs and services we discuss in the podcast. Here you can find information about their international symposiums as well as sign-up to join the organization. There is also timely information about COVID-19 river opening guidance and be sure to check out the fun #TheRiverIsMyOffice video series.

2) the National Rivers Project has interactive maps, paddling and access information for thousands of unique sections of river in the United States.

Risa’s story includes recently co-authoring a book about her father and professional photographer, Midori Shimoda. The title of the book is, Photographic Memories: A Story of Shinjitsu. “Despite frequent reminders of the fear and distrust facing Japanese immigrants during WWII, Midori’s love of photography and drive to excel is a story of passion, resourcefulness, and diligence for sharing beauty through the lens of a camera.”

We’re excited to bring Risa’s story to you, thanks for listening!

All rivers have stories that ripple. 
I’m Dave Koehler. Be well and do good work.

Photo: With Kristina Ortez on the Rio Chama near Taos, New Mexico

“Querencia,” is a word used by the people of Taos and northern New Mexico to describe their sense of rootedness in place.

In this episode, we hear from Kristina Ortez, executive director of the Taos Land Trust. While working in Indonesia about twenty years ago, thousands of miles away from her home, Kristina had an experience that developed her passion for protecting the environment and community engagement. Through her story, we’ll learn how she became connected to rivers and Taos. Along the way, we’ll discover the importance of Rio Fernando de Taos to her community and take a trip on the enchanting Rio Chama.   

Over the last ten years, Kristina has become rooted in Taos and northern New Mexico. We’ll learn how Kristina and the land trust worked to protect an important 20-acre wetland and agricultural property in Taos as well as efforts that led to forming the Rio Fernando de Taos Revitalization Collaborative. We’ll also hear from Kristina about the importance of racial and cultural diversity within environmental organizations in order to reflect and address the needs of the communities they serve. 

As we learn from Kristina, her community is indeed “doing the work” to steward their cherished lands and waterways.  

Kristina highlights the importance of play in the outdoors. Fittingly matching Kristina’s energy and passion, our episode concludes with a river trip to discover the wild and scenic Rio Chama.  

We’re excited to bring Kristina’s story to you on World Rivers Day 2020. To learn more about her work and the Rio Fernando de Taos Revitalization Collaborative, go to Taos Land Trust.   

Visit RiverSpeak Podcast for photographs and other news and information related to our episodes.

All rivers have stories that ripple.  

I’m Dave Koehler. Be well, and do good work.