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Back to: Home Page : Events Calendar : River Rendezvous



2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

2011 River Rendezvous Photos by Mark Burrows

McBride, Waterman Named 2011 River Conservators
Peter McBrideJonathan WatermanThis summer Roaring Fork Conservancy will honor Peter McBride and Jonathan Waterman as the 2011 Robert Billingsley River Conservators at the 12th annual River Rendezvous. Over the past four years, these two men have explored thousands of miles of various rivers in the Colorado River Basin, learning and teaching others about the imperiled Colorado River and its tributaries. The Roaring Fork Watershed plays a major role in the larger watershed, providing 8 to 12 percent of the Colorado River’s water with only 0.5% of the land area. McBride and Waterman underscore the fact that the Colorado River, critical to meeting the needs of 30 million people and three million acres of agriculture, hasn’t reached the sea since 1998. 

Peter McBride is an award-winning photographer and journalist who has worked in more than 60 countries. A resident of Basalt, Pete has travelled the world telling stories about people and their connection to their places. Growing up on a ranch in the Roaring Fork Valley, water has always been near and dear to Pete’s heart. Pete took most of the photographs for his recent book The Colorado River: Flowing Through Conflict, and Jon Waterman provided most of the text. A selection of images from the book forms a large scale, traveling photo exhibit currently featured at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science through 2011. Pete also produced a short film with his imagery and video work that premiered at the 5 Point Film Festival in Carbondale and Telluride Mountain Film Festival this spring. “It was remarkably eye-opening and alarming to focus my lenses on my backyard river,” says Pete of his experiences exploring the Colorado Basin. “Like many, I had no idea of the Colorado's outcome. We are all users of the river - whether you live in Basalt or Yuma, Arizona - so we all need to be more conscious of our watershed and how we use it.” 

Travelling the length of the Colorado River in 2008, Jon’s book Running Dry: A Journey From Source to Sea Down the Colorado River chronicles his adventures as he met with water managers, residents and river users along the river’s length. Jonathan Waterman is mostly recognized for his time exploring the North, detailed in six of his eleven books and in many magazines. In 2011, again with National Geographic support, he has initiated a photographic investigation—exposing high resolution panoramas and pairing old photographs with new photographs to show change—of 16 drying rivers from the Roaring Fork to the Rio Grande. “Somehow, before real shortages begin,” Jon says, “the citizenry of the arid West needs to learn that both river habitat and water are in desperate need of conservation. Thanks to climate change and population growth, the next generation is going to inherit a ticking time bomb.” 

To view past River Conservators and find more on the River Rendezvous, visit www.roaringfork.org/rendezvous.
 
 

River Conservators

Past receipients of the Robert Billingsley River Conservator Award

2011
Peter McBride & 
Jonathan Waterman

2010
Rachel Richards

2009
Ken Neubecker

2008
Carter Brooksher

2007
Tim Heng

2006
Ken Kendrick

2005
Cindy Houben

2004
Paula Fothergill

2003
Bill McKee

2002
Stephen Ellsperman

2001
Bob Lewis

2000
Andre Wille &
Mike Wilde



2011 Sponsors

Underwriters 
($15,000 +)
Randy & Ken Kendrick
Nancy & Rich Kinder

River Protectors
($10,000 to $14,999)
Carter & Dane Brooksher
Patsy & George Conrades
El Jebeverage
Cornelia & Meredith Long

River Guardians
($5,000- $9,999)
Alpine Bank
Louise & Clay Bennett
Susan & Gary Blackie

River Monitors
($2,500-$4,999)
Judy & David Baum
Charlotte & Dan Blanks
Jane & Pat Bolin
Sandy & David Burden
Kathy & Bob Courson
Eleanor & Hal Davis
Muffy and Andy DiSabatino
Marilyn & Bill Getz
Joyce & Bill Gruenberg
Ruth & Dave Hoff
Eveline Hoffman & Joel Strumph
Marianne & Dick Kipper
Prehm Ranch
Sue & Walt Rakowich
Wendy & John Seiple
Taylor Creek Fly Shop
Carol & John Walter
Kay & Robert Watson
Marjory Weber



 
Untitled Document
ROARING FORK CONSERVANCY Brings People Together to Protect Our Rivers

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