Stroud Water Research Center presented the 2018 Stroud Award for Freshwater Excellence to American Rivers and its president and CEO, Wm. Robert (Bob) Irvin, at the Stroud Center’s premiere fundraising gala, The Water’s Edge, yesterday evening.
Wilmington Trust was the presenting sponsor of the event, which took place in Delaware, at Winterthur, the childhood home of collector and horticulturist Henry Francis du Pont. This 1,000-acre preserve of rolling meadows and woodlands was designed by du Pont. Its 60-acre naturalistic garden is among America’s best, with magnificent specimen plantings and massed displays of color.
American Rivers is a national nonprofit conservation organization with offices across the country, including in Pennsylvania. American Rivers is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year and the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Bob Irvin was recognized for his more than 30 year career in conservation and his success advancing the mission of American Rivers, which is to protect wild rivers, restore damaged rivers, and conserve clean water for people and nature.
“It is a great honor to receive this award from the Stroud Center,” Irvin said. “This award is for all of our generous members and supporters who make our work possible. At American Rivers, we believe every person in the country should have clean water and a healthy river and our supporters are moving us closer to achieving that goal.”
“Water is the most important conservation issue of our time. Protecting and restoring the health of the nation’s rivers is essential to our future health and security. We all have a responsibility to be good stewards and to leave a legacy of healthy rivers and clean water for the next generation,” Irvin said.
American Rivers has a 45-year track record of success that includes spearheading the U.S. dam removal and river restoration movement, championing the preservation of thousands of miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers, mobilizing public action through the annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign, and advancing solutions for innovative water and river management nationwide.
In 2018, American Rivers removed 13 outdated dams, restored more than 400 miles of rivers, and protected more than 300 miles of wild rivers including securing Wild and Scenic designation for Montana’s East Rosebud Creek. American Rivers also helped win an important legal victory in defense of the federal Clean Water Rule, which safeguards drinking water sources for one in three Americans.
Since its inception in 2003, The Water’s Edge has featured an impressive list of individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to the world of science, fresh water, and conservation. Previous award recipients have included His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco; National Park Service and its director, Jonathan Jarvis; Alexandra Cousteau; Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; Dr. Jane Lubchenco and Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Dr. John Briscoe; and Olivia Newton-John and John Easterling.
The Stroud Center and its more than 50-year history began and continues on the banks of Pennsylvania’s White Clay Creek, which is protected as a Wild and Scenic River. Today, the Stroud Center is an independent 501(c)(3), not-for-profit, nonadvocacy organization recognized as a global leader in the field of freshwater science, environmental education, and watershed restoration, with a secondary location studying tropical ecosystems in Costa Rica. It opened in 1967 as a field station of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. The mission — to understand how streams and rivers work in an effort to preserve clean waterways and restore polluted ones — came from founders Ruth Patrick, Ph.D., an eminent freshwater ecologist at the academy, and philanthropists Dick and Joan Stroud.
Contact:
Amy Kober, American Rivers, 503-708-1145
Diane Huskinson, Stroud Water Research Center
About Stroud Water Research Center
Stroud Water Research Center advances knowledge and stewardship of freshwater systems through global research, education, and watershed restoration and to help businesses, landowners, policymakers, and individuals make informed decisions that affect water quality and availability around the world. Stroud Water Research Center is an independent, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
About American Rivers
American Rivers believes every community in our country should have clean water and a healthy river. Since 1973, we have been protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers and conserving clean water for people and nature. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., and offices across the country, we are the most effective river conservation organization in the United States, delivering solutions that will last for generations to come. www.AmericanRivers.org
