The 2018 Stroud Award for Freshwater Excellence will be presented to American Rivers on its 45th Anniversary and its President and CEO, Wm. Robert Irvin
Presented at The Water’s Edge gala each year since 2011, the Stroud Award for Freshwater Excellence is a prestigious award for outstanding achievement in freshwater-related activities. Honorees represent regions and watersheds from around the world and a broad range of activities, professions, and scientific disciplines.
American Rivers’ Commitment to Fresh Water
American Rivers was founded in 1973 by a group of river runners and conservationists. They first met in Denver, Colorado to discuss concerns about unnecessary dams destroying rivers and lack of action to protect rivers since the previously passed National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and Clean Water Act.
We had to move fast or we would lose our best rivers. [The early 70’s] was the golden age of dam building and we needed to fight back. –Brent Blackwelder, co-founder of American Rivers
For the last 45 years, American Rivers has combined national advocacy with fieldwork in key river basins to protect freshwater. The mission of American Rivers is to protect healthy rivers, restore damaged rivers and conserve clean water. They currently have more than 275,000 members, supporters, and volunteers. In the previous year alone, the organization has restored 407.5 miles of rivers, removed 2.58 million pounds of trash through their National River Cleanup, and granted $1.24 million to local river conservation projects. American Rivers uses advocacy, science, partnerships, and expertise to ensure the future of healthy rivers.
About Wm. Robert Irvin, President and CEO
Bob Irvin became President and CEO of American Rivers in 2011. Previous to taking on this role, he held the position of Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs at Defenders of Wildlife. He has also served as Director of U.S. Conservation for World Wildlife Fund, Vice President for Marine Wildlife Conservation and General Counsel for the Center for Marine Conservation, Senior Counsel for Fish and Wildlife on the Majority Staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Counsel and Director of the Fisheries and Wildlife Division, National Wildlife Federation.
Irvin holds a degree in law as well as a B.S. in Forest Science and his expertise is biodiversity conservation, wildlife law, and the endangered species act. He has written and lectured extensively on biodiversity conservation issues. He was a member of the IUCN’s Red List Criteria Review Working Group, which revised the standards for listing threatened species globally. He has taught Biodiversity Protection at Vermont Law School for nearly 20 years and has also taught at the University of Maryland School of Law.
Stroud Water Research Center believes that American Rivers and Bob Irvin are quite deserving of the 2018 Stroud Award for Fresh Water Excellence. Join us to celebrate on the evening of November 29, 2018.
