The Big River Foundation exists to create educational experiences which promote watershed conservation.
“In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught.” – Baba Dioum, 1968
When watersheds are bisected by rivers that serve as international borders, conservation becomes a differential equation whose solution is a function of complex variables. Help us solve this equation!
Mission
The Big River Foundation mission is to teach communities throughout the Americas to value the vital role rivers play in the web of life. The Foundation incubates educational programs that foster respect and appreciation for river ecology and conservation, utilizing kayaking, canoeing, and rafting to explore rivers, their tributaries and watersheds.
Goals:
To achieve this mission, the Foundation sponsors programs in partnership with schools, youth groups, local governments, non-governmental organizations, river outfitters, and community advocates. Through education, recreation and advocacy, Big River Foundation mobilizes community support for improving development policies and practices to ensure a legacy of healthy rivers throughout our hemisphere.
Objectives:
The Big River Foundation will:
– establish a robust culture of scientific exploration on rivers throughout the Americas;
– facilitate eco-tourism, river festivals, programs, and events which address environmental, ecological, economic, and social benefits of healthy rivers;
– communicate the importance of protecting binational rivers from unsustainable development for short-term economic gain; and,
– endeavor to ensure communities understand why rivers are vital natural resources, without which life is impossible over the long-term.
Rio Platanillal, La Amistad International Park
Big River Foundation 