Apalachicola Riverkeeper

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Become a member of the Apalachicola Riverkeeper ( or to renew your membership ) and to help protect our River and Bay and keep them safe and healthy for people, fish and wildlife, now and for future generations.About Apalachicola RiverkeeperFrom its establishment in 1998 as a conservation advocacy organization, Apalachicola Bay and River Keeper, Inc ( ABARK ) was run by volunteers. In 1999, Susan Anderson, ABARK co-founder, became the fulltime, volunteer Riverkeeper. In 2000, co-founder Bill Hartley became Riverkeeper and volunteered tirelessly ( with help from his wife Shirley and other Board members and volunteers ) in that role and as President of the Board. In August 2001, ABARK hired David McLain as Executive Director and Riverkeeper. In February 2004, Dan Tonsmeire became Riverkeeper; later that year, Roger Martin became Executive Director and Dave assumed the role of Senior Policy Director. In 2005, Dan became Executive Director as well as Riverkeeper and the organization began doing business as the Apalachicola Riverkeeper. In 2006, co-founder Andy Smith became Executive Director. Dan Tonsmeire remains your fulltime Apalachicola RiverkeeperWe monitor the Apalachicola from the upper reaches at the Florida/Georgia line downstream 108 miles, through the middle reaches around Wewahitchka, to the estuary and Bay on the Gulf. Within this range, the Upper Reaches are the responsibility of River Steward Chad Taylor of Marianna; the Middle Reaches are the responsibility of River Steward Marilyn Blackwell of Wewahitchka; and the Bay Area and overall supervision remains under Dan.Listen to Dan in parts two and four of a recent four part series on the Southeastern drought and the "water war" with upstream users. Reports by Margie Menzel of WFSU radio. click here In the words of past Riverkeeper Dave McLain: "Make no mistake about it, we're in a 'knock down/drag out' battle to protect and preserve our River and Bay". The Riverkeeper recognizes four priority threats to our resource that must be combated:Explosive Growth and DevelopmentThe Apalachicola, despite these threats, remains at present an almost pristine resource of unique value to the state and the Region. With the ominous in-state example of the Everglades cleanup and the huge associated costs, the Riverkeeper has to lead an effort to protect and preserve this pristine resource against such a consequence in the years a ahead. Some resource; some battle.Someone once asked the Riverkeeper in a joking way, "Riverkeeper, eh? Where do you keep your River?" The dead-serious answer was "I keep our River in the Public Eye". A critical component of an effective environmental advocacy program must always be public education and outreach - What are the issues bearing on the protection and preservation of the Apalachicola River and Bay? What are the options for public involvement in resolving those issues and shaping good public policy from the grass-roots level up? With the help of an Advisory Board of subject-matter-experts, the Riverkeeper has to lead in the effort to protect our River and Bay on the strength of an educated and motivated citizenry.One of Dave McLain's initial tasks as Riverkeeper was to expand the Apalachicola Riverkeeper's political presence and grassroots advocacy throughout the Apalachicola Basin and beyond. Giving priority to the threat of inadequate freshwater flows due to on-going Tri-State Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint ( ACF ) Rivers Water Allocation negotiations, David set out to persuade the elected official of the six Florida counties directly bordering on the River to pursue a common course of action. He secured the endorsement of all 6 counties for a set of evaluation criteria by which to assess any proposal for water allocation put on the negotiating table. Accordingly, speaking for 6 counties, the Riverkeeper furnished a detailed assessment of working proposals to guide state negotiators. At the Apalachicola Riverkeeper's insistence open stake