Celebrating World Rivers Day
In honor of World Rivers Day on September 25, 2022, The Moore Charitable Foundation recognizes the significant and dedicated work of conservation partners who keep polluters accountable, advocate for riparian habitat restoration, and fight to keep our waterways clean.
In North Carolina, Cape Fear River Watch (CFRW) is dedicated to protecting the Cape Fear River watershed, which covers more than 9,100 square miles of the state. The health of the watershed is largely determined by activities upstream — including heavy industry and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
CFRW is on the front lines monitoring water quality and activities that impact the watershed, enforcing regulations and making recommendations for environmental improvements. The Orton Foundation is a proud supporter of their important work.
Elsewhere across the country, The Nature Conservancy New Mexico established the Rio Grande Water Fund (RGWF) in 2014 to address overgrown forested watersheds in Northern New Mexico, mitigating wildfire and benefitting downstream health. RGWF invests in projects that accelerate landscape-scale forest restoration through thinning controlled burns, stream restoration, post-fire watershed restoration, and education, outreach, and monitoring.
Earlier this year, the Taos Ski Valley Foundation (TSVF) — an affiliate of The Moore Charitable Foundation — gave a grant to RGWF to increase the use of prescribed fire and help to ensure that Indigenous Peoples are equally represented in the program’s workforce.
Resilient river and stream environments support biodiversity and wildlife, help maintain soil integrity, and are vital to the economies and wellbeing of many communities — from North Carolina to New Mexico and all across the world. It is our duty to work together to ensure clean, healthy water is available for generations to come.
