More than 60 organizations are members of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition. Learn more about how to join us.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Statement

Vision

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition is working towards a future where Wild and Scenic Rivers and other types of protected rivers are places where all people belong and feel safe, are represented, and derive cultural relevance.

Values

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition values participation by those with different life experiences, beliefs, perspectives, and backgrounds. We practice intolerance of the status quo. We honestly face and acknowledge a violent history that has led to today’s river protection and public lands movements and the injustices and biases that they perpetuate. We work towards changing the systems of inequity, bias, and discrimination in our understanding, planning, and practices to elevate systemically excluded people and perspectives as a path to true equity.

Commitments

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition:

1. Welcomes all types of members and gives all members an equitable voice in decisions and a self-defining role in the trajectory of the Coalition.
2. Seeks and adopts strategies within river advocacy and stewardship that eliminate harassment, discrimination, inequity, and violence.
3. Expects all members to develop and take responsibility for their own commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice that are reflected in organizational policies and processes. The Coalition recognizes autonomy and authority in how members approach and implement their commitments.

Approach

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition commits to addressing systemic exclusion and continued colonial oppression in river conservation. Coalition members agree to collaborate with, seek guidance from, and support relevant and proximate Indigenous Nations, Indigenous advocates, Native organizations, BIPOC, affinity groups, and other systemically excluded people and groups by:

1. Committing to self-education that builds both our individual and community-wide awareness of systemic inequities in river advocacy and stewardship.
2. Fostering trust-based relationships.
3. Using best practices and guidance to shape current and future advocacy and stewardship campaigns and actions.
4. Forging partnerships that assess impediments to engagement, transfer power and provide equitable access to resources and decision-making, and leverage organizational strengths and build capacities to elevate common work.

Accountability and Transparency

Annually the Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition will evaluate and share its performance in executing its vision, values, commitments, and approach.