February 13, 2011
Over 750,000 people participated in some form of river recreation around Texas last year. Les than 1/10th of 1 percent of them engaged in it on the Rio Grande.
Despite year round warm weather and reliable flow. Despite being home to the greatest avian biodiversity in the United States. Despite the presence of some of the most historic cities in the country, the Rio Grande remains our most overlooked and under exploited river.
For most places through which it flows the Lower Rio Grande is neither dirty, nor dangerous and nowhere is it illegal to enter. The Big River Foundation was created to dispel those misunderstandings and to help people on both sides of the Border make better use of this, the region's original and still singularly most important resource for all who live there.
Because my primary colleague in this effort makes his home in Panama, and because Western Panama and the border with Costa Rica has its own rivers and shared problems, we collaborate on project efforts there as well.
Despite year round warm weather and reliable flow. Despite being home to the greatest avian biodiversity in the United States. Despite the presence of some of the most historic cities in the country, the Rio Grande remains our most overlooked and under exploited river.
For most places through which it flows the Lower Rio Grande is neither dirty, nor dangerous and nowhere is it illegal to enter. The Big River Foundation was created to dispel those misunderstandings and to help people on both sides of the Border make better use of this, the region's original and still singularly most important resource for all who live there.
Because my primary colleague in this effort makes his home in Panama, and because Western Panama and the border with Costa Rica has its own rivers and shared problems, we collaborate on project efforts there as well.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
National press has consistently followed our efforts to demonstrate the positive attributes of the Lower Rio Grande. National Public Radio's Morning Edition featured our efforts in August of 2008. Associated Press wrote about how our efforts were threatened by the proposed Border Wall. The Wall Street Journal covered the Laredos RioFest in October 2009.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Provide more river guide training opportunities for area biology, nursing and rehabilitative therapy students and professionals
MY ROLE:
Board Member & I created the first binational canoe and kayak race on the Lower Rio Grande (November 2008). That prompted the City of Laredo to create an even bigger event in October 2009.