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River Citizen,

Welcome to Spring, River Citizens! It feels like we are moving at 'warp speed' these days, and on behalf of the Mississippi River Network, we appreciate your continued commitments to the people, land, water, and wildlife, of our River! With the warming weather, are you itching to get out and become more involved with taking action and caring for the Mississippi?

This newsletter has MANY opportunities occurring both virtually and in-person along the entire length of our River. Give it a read, learn some new things, and please reach out to info@1mississippi.org with any questions. 

-Michael Anderson, Mississippi River Network Outreach and Engagement Manager

 

Be the Solution and #BeatPlasticPollution this April

We are impacting the River with our actions. Items that we use every day – like disposable coffee cups, masks, and plastic bags – can end up in the environment, making their way to our rivers. Your help is needed! Be a part of the solution to combat plastic pollution along the Mississippi River by helping to collect data on litter. The steps are easy and you can gather plastic data on your next walk by yourself, with others, or join an upcoming community event - there are many ways to get involved. The Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative officially started April 1st and data collection for this pilot closes April 25th -- don't wait; together, we can make a huge impact! 

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There are over 80 partner organizations and over 80 community events associated with the Initiative. See the full list here!

The Mississippi River Network is proud to partner with the Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative and the leadership provided by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative, the National Geographic Society, and the University of Georgia. Learn more here!

 

Mississippi River Network Springs Forward with Congressional Meetings

Last month, Mississippi River Network (MRN) member organizations participated in nearly 30 meetings with Congressional decision-makers and their staff as part of our Spring 2021 virtual “fly-in.” We shared our policy priorities as they relate to flooding, resilience, and restoration on our cherished Mississippi River. 14 MRN member organizations participated in meetings in all 10 mainstem River states. Learn more about the fly-in and what we heard from Congressional offices by reading the blog post here!

Are you interested in attending future meetings with our elected officials? Make sure you are a River Citizen and subscribed to receive Advocacy Action Alerts from 1 Mississipi (existing River Citizens can manage email subscriptions here).

 

-Maisah Khan, Mississippi River Network Policy Director

 

One of our favorite times of year is the annual Mississippi River Network D.C. Fly-in. It's an incredible opportunity to bring folks together from across the country to advocate loudly for our treasured Mississippi River. Pictured is a collage from some of the Zoom meetings -- thank you to all who participated!

 
 

We Need Nature-Based Solutions on the River 

After recent years of severe flooding in the Mississippi River Valley, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting flooding from snowmelt to be much less severe this season. For many of us, this is a relief. However, now is not the time to get complacent. We need nature-based solutions to flooding on the River. Restored wetlands and reconnected floodplains across the watershed are critical tools in the toolkit to slow and store water, reducing downstream flooding impacts.

Learn more about flooding and infrastructure by listening to  May The River Be With You podcast episode hosted by Mark 'River' Peoples with guest John Ruskey of the Quapaw Canoe Company.

 
 
 

Upcoming River Events

Volunteer with Blessed Earth Southeast Living Waters Program

  • When: FOUR upcoming events in April in Louisiana and Tennessee
  • What: The Blessed Earth Southeast Living Waters program engages people of faith (all are welcome) in helping to restore the Mississippi River and the surrounding watershed. Please join a clean-up or tree seedling giveaway event. Learn more about the events including covid-19 precautions and why your actions make a difference for our communities!

Saturday, April 10th from 9 am-12 pm Cleanup at Sunset Point in Mandeville, LA

Saturday, April 17th, 9 am - 12 pm: Cleanup at City Park in New Orleans, LA

Saturday, April 17th, 9 am - 12 pm: Cleanup at Mt. Olive #2 Chruch in Collierville, TN

Saturday, April 24th: Tree Giveaway in West Tennessee 

 
 

Piasa Palisades Sierra Club x Mississippi Valley Traveler

  • When: Tuesday, April 13th, 2021 from 6 - 7:30 pm CST
  • What: Rivers do not get enough respect, especially big rivers. In this talk, Dean Klinkenberg, the Mississippi Valley Traveler, will describe the importance of big rivers in the natural world, and why we need to value them more. Klinkenberg will describe what a healthy river looks like and the impressive natural resilience of river ecosystems. Register (free) here!
 
 

Advocacy for Flood Prevention In Southwest Iowa

Join the community at Iowa Environmental Council for two fun upcoming education and advocacy training sessions. You'll leave with a message ready to share and network of fellow Big River advocates! Be sure to click the links below to learn more and RSVP (free!):

 
 

FINAL Event with Team Launching to Break Guinness World Record

The four-person Mississippi Speed Record team is gearing up to break the Guinness World Record of fastest time canoeing the entire ~2,300 miles of the Mississippi River: 18 days, 4 hours, and 51 minutes. For the final installment of a three-part series, we'll sit down (via Zoom) Kelly McGinnis (Executive Director of the Mississippi River Network) and Speed Record Team to learn more about the River and the Record, logistics, and preparation.The event is totally free and all are invited! Register here (required for security reasons).

 
 

30x30 Conservation Goal: What does it mean for the Mississippi?

President Biden pledged to put America on the path of protecting at least 30 percent of its land and 30 percent of its ocean areas by 2030. What does this “30x30” goal mean for clean water and the Mississippi River? How will the 10 mainstem River states play a role in implementing this vision? The Mississippi River Network's (MRN) Policy Director, Maisah Khan, provides insight and recaps the recent MRN 30x30 Webinar with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, Illinois Environmental Council, and The Conservation Fund in her blog.

The Mississippi River Network hosted the recent 30x30 webinar with experts from the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, Illinois Environmental Council, and The Conservation Fund -- find out what it means for the River!

 

River News

 
 
 
 

1 Mississippi is the national public program of the Mississippi River Network. Since 2009, 1 Mississippi has built a community of 20,000 River Citizens and inspired thousands of actions. From armchairs to wading boots, River Citizens protect the River by speaking up on its behalf and caring for it in simple ways that make a difference. Contact: info@1mississippi.org.

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