THE BIG RIVER WORKS

Uniting Diverse Interests with a Common Purpose

Stretching across 31 states and two Canadian provinces, the Mississippi River runs through our nation’s cultural heritage and remains vital to American prosperity. But the Big River faces challenges that affect the entire nation’s future. Decades of degrading forces have stressed the river and its tributaries, threatening the enormous economic and environmental benefits the Mississippi provides across the country.

For the last 10 years, America’s WETLAND Foundation has served as a neutral facilitator for the varied and often conflicting interests involved in Gulf Coast restoration. Now, through THE BIG RIVER WORKS: Building Cooperation to Sustain the Mississippi River System, the foundation is bringing together key stakeholders for an analysis of the Mississippi River that will detail the consequences of inaction and outline opportunities for cooperation that will lead to a more sustainable system.

Numerous efforts are already underway up and down the river to address the difficult challenges facing the Mississippi. THE BIG RIVER WORKS provides a forum for discussion to highlight the river’s national significance along with all of the important efforts dedicated to its preservation. Our goal is to move beyond dialogue by promoting good ideas and leveraging resources to reach an agenda for action.

From the spring of 2012 through early 2013, THE BIG RIVER WORKS will host leadership forums in five major cities along the river, each focused on a theme encompassing issues that are critical to the systemic health and sustainability of the Mississippi River. Held in cooperation with a host of national, state and regional NGOs, these meetings will convene political leaders, scientists, engineers, dedicated practitioners and business and industry stakeholders to address comprehensive management of the river.

“It is not a commonplace river, but on the contrary is in all ways remarkable.”

Reconnecting the River to its Delta

Five cities will host leaderships forums, each focused on a theme encompassing issues that are critical to the systemic health and sustainability of the Mississippi River. Held in cooperation with a host of national, state and regional NGOs, these meetings will convene political leaders, scientists, engineers, dedicated practitioners and business and industry stakeholders to address comprehensive management of the river.

VIEW A PRESENTATION OF THE BIG RIVER WORKS INITIATIVE