Past Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week Successes

Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week has been hosted by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition since 2020.

Rivers Hill Week 2023

Location: In-person & virtual
Attendees: 40 (in-person), 150 (digital)
- 9 constituents accompanied 3 campaigns and included Tribal Nations, landowners, and business owners
Campaigns: 17 campaigns in 11 states
Bills in Congress: 12 (summary sheet)

5 learning sessions over 3 days averaging 45 people/session:
- Creative Funding Strategies for Wild and Scenic River Projects
  - Funds
  - Foundations
- Lessons Toward a National ONRW Strategy
- The Nexus of Land Back & Wild and Scenic Rivers (KASL case study)
- Trends in Congress
80 Congressional office meetings in 18 states; House and Senate natural resources committee meetings
Discussions and meetings with agency leaderships:
- 7 agency meetings (BLM, FS, USDA, NPS, EPA, OMB)
- 2 meetings with Director level attendance
- 3 meetings with Deputy Director level attendance
- 3 meetings involve employees from different directorates/agency program areas
- Topics discussed
  - EPA – handbook ONRW language
  - USDA – eligibility/suitability, FS testimony
  - FS – relationship building, FS testimony, funding, Indigenous co-stewardship
  - BLM – relationship building, Indigenous co-stewardship
  - NPS – funding/capacity for a growing PWSR system, NRI management
  - OMB – additions to budget narratives, funding transparency

6 learning sessions over 3 days averaging 45 people/session:
- Indigenous Nations and River Protection (opened by Senator Wyden)
- State of Congress and Environmental Legislation and Appropriations Prospects and Strategies
- River Protection Campaign Roundup
- Elevating Our Collective River Goals: Messaging for Success During and After Your Congressional Meetings
- Wild and Scenic Rivers Protection in the Context of the Clean Water Act 50th
- Interagency River Stewardship Next Steps
One special Conversations with Congressional Champions session featuring remarks from Senator Merkley, Senator Heinrich and Representative Kilmer
46 Congressional office meeting requests in 16 states resulting in 37 meeting in 12 states; House Natural Resources Committee staff meeting
Discussions and meetings with agency leaderships on:
- Climate
- DEI
- Partnerships
- Staffing/training
- Inventories in river management plans
- Wildfire in river corridors
- Fish barrier dams
Join requests from five new organizations directly related to Rivers Hill Week outreach and interest in membership from another 15 organizations

6 learning sessions averaging 45 people/session:
- The Nexus of River Conservation and Energy
- Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Wild and Scenic River Protection
- State of Congress and Environmental Legislation Prospects
- River Protection Campaign Roundup
- Opportunities for River Protection through Clean Water Policy and Effective Advocacy Strategies for Using the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act for Protecting and Improving Water Quality
- Ways to Better Engage in Appropriations
25 meetings with individual congressional offices, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, House Natural Resources Committee continue to further campaigns in Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina/Tennessee, Maine, Florida and Alabama.
Discussions and meetings with agency leaderships to further requests for:
- Inclusion of rivers in 30×30 through adoption of climate ORVs
- Better budget transparency
- Consistency in eligibility inventories
- Consistency in national river data management
- Actions to mitigate increasing river recreation impacts
Increased engagement between Coalition members who attended Wild and Scenic Rivers Hill Week continues to forge a productive professional network of river protection advocates.