How we started out

Back in the 70s and 80s, the Truckee River region was threatened. Species of fish had disappeared. Essential invertebrates were dwindling. Entire meadows were drying up. Much of this was traced to 150 years of human impact—from mining, grazing, clear cutting, rail and highway expansion and real estate development. By 1991 the EPA* gave the Truckee River this rating: “polluted”.

This shocking assessment was enough to rally a disparate but determined group of influencers: a botanist, a national forest fishery biologist, and a Truckee local living in a cabin his grandfather built. Together, in October 1996, they promoted and organized the first annual Truckee River Day.

Three hundred volunteers showed up to complete ten stream, meadow and wetland restoration projects. After more than two decades, the event is still going strong, with more than 400 volunteers every year.

Today, Truckee River Day is just one piece of our work. We now spearhead multiple large-scale restoration projects, and assessment and prevention efforts.

*U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

But it all started with just one day: Truckee River Day.

From managing million-dollar restoration projects to monitoring microscopic macroinvertbrate, our work is multi-faceted and far-reaching.

Over the last 20 years we’ve managed more than 50 large-scale projects. We’ve improved 348 public and private green spaces.  And mobilized over 472,000 gumboot-wearing volunteers, while raising $11.5 million in funding. It’s what we do—it’s our nature.

We think FORIVER sums up (with just seven characters) exactly what we believe: that together we can revive our watershed—so nature and humanity can thrive here for generations.

We work for the watershed. The watershed feeds the river. And we work to make the river resilient and vibrant for…well, forever.

Photo Credits

Chris Bartkowski
John Baiocchi
Kerensa Brooks
Sara Taddo Jones
Peter Kulchawik
Bill Langton
Jennifer Montgomery
Stefan Mcleod
Susie Urie

Video Credits

Dizifilms from Mazwai.com
Bwignall and hdnaturefutage from Pond5.com
Gimmeges from Videvo.net