Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week 2027

There are many ways to connect with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition, including participating in Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week, hosted annually in Washington DC.

Schedule (general – 2027 dates TBD and likely to be announced in June)

  • Monday,
    • Travel to DC
    • Informal no-host dinner
  • Tuesday
    • Congressional meetings
    • Wild Rivers Night Happy Hour
  • Wednesday
    • Congressional meetings
  • Thursday
    • Agency meetings
  • Friday
    • Travel home

Including and Leveraging Constituent Voices

Begin budgeting now for travel for constituents to accompany you to DC–not just for the impact they will bring while in DC but to nurture their continued engagement following their visit in the form of letters to the editor and campaign support letters. Bringing constituents (e.g. local business owners, outfitters/guides, county commissioners, Tribal Nation representatives, local landowners, other influencers etc.) will increase the likelihood that you get time with Congressional members and are important in the early years of a campaign to built the attention and clout you need as your campaign matures. Having constituents request member meetings can also increase the likelihood of securing a member meeting. Develop a strategy for the meeting ahead of time that best elevates constituent voices rather than those of your environmental advocacy organization. Constituents without lobbying experience who have never been to DC before are sometimes overwhelmed the first time–it’s fast and furious and easy to get lost inside government buildings. Inviting the same constituents more than one year in a row empowers them to become more experienced and influential advocates. Following Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week, constituents are fired up to engage with your campaign or cause–have a strategy in place to further engage them when members are in district, immediately or in the months following (e.g. trip with staff or Congressional member on the river, local events/fundraising, op/ed or other media pieces etc.).

Once your prior trips with constituents have provided sufficient evidence of diverse community support, coming to DC without constituents is an important step for mature campaigns and provides the opportunity to focus more heavily on 1) the priority your bill occupies with its sponsor(s) 2) bill passage strategies 3) power building with caucus members and the natural resources committees.

Accommodations

Attendees are responsible for their own travel, hotel, metro/cab/uber, and food expenses when in DC. We recommend booking accommodations proximate to, or within easy travel distance of, Navy Yard and making travel arrangements EARLY to avoid significant cost increases.

Resources

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition supplies resources to use during Congressional meetings including:

  • Access to government affairs consultation so you can ask questions about your strategy
  • Collective spreadsheet to track and recommend meetings
  • Topics specific leave behind sheets

Other resources

Learn more about successes from past Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Weeks.