Russian Riverkeeper

Truly inspired, Russian Riverkeeper Advocates, Educates and Celebrates the beauty and health of the Russian River for all to enjoy. 

The MISSION of the Russian Riverkeeper is to serve all communities by restoring and sustaining the health of the Russian River.

Why is it important?

Located in Healdsburg, California, the Russian Riverkeeper inspires and educates the community to protect the Russian River through education, citizen action, scientific research, and expert advocacy.  This community-based organization preserves, protects and keeps the river flowing from Ukiah to Jenner, where the river dips directly into the Pacific Ocean (in the spring the seals pups love to sunbathe here). The focus is regenerating the health of the Russian River and its wildlife by restoring over 80% of river and wetland areas lost over the last 100 years to mining, agricultural and urban development. Preserving the Russian River makes our community and its wildlife resilient to the effects of our changing climate.

How They Do It

Since 1993, the Russian RIverkeeper has been protecting the river and its surrounds by actively pursuing conservation and protection of the River (watershed and tributaries) through public education, stewardship, research, and activism. Originally known as the Friends of the Russian River, the founders addressed pollution and the decline of the annual salmon and steelhead runs (a site to check out on a winter visit). A conference in 1994 resulted in an agreement that the Russian River basin needed a master plan for restoration and enhancement. That vision and since been put into action with so much involvement from the local community.

The Russian Riverkeeper launched in 2001 as the 65^th member of the Waterkeeper Alliance, an international grassroots advocacy coalition of over 250 Waterkeeper organizations.  While Healdsburg is known as a wine and food mecca, its historic lure was the river. A summer haven for bay area residents and locals since the late 1800’s. A place to relax, swim, kayak, float, fish, decompress and take in the local beauty. Waterkeeper member’s sole purpose is to preserve those rights to fishable, drinkable, swimmable pollution free waterways.

How You Can Travel Kindly

• Choose Russian Riverkeeper as your local charity when you book hotels with Kind Traveler
• Volunteer: Join a Wednesday morning education and cleanup crew at Riverkeeper Stewardship park in Guerneville
• Join in on scheduled Foss Creek Community Restoration days and help clear out the creek
• Participate in the annual Russian River Watershed Cleanup Event – 2018’s crew removed over 21,000 lbs. of garbage from the river keeping it clean for all to enjoy
• Participate or attend events including the Great Russian River Race and the annual Ripp’n River Bash
• The simplest thing, conserve water, recycle, reduce electricity and enjoy native plants