Sometimes to save a river, you have to buy it.

Western Rivers Conservancy buys land along the West’s finest rivers and streams to conserve habitat for fish and wildlife, protect key sources of cold water, and create recreational access for all to enjoy. We have protected more than 455 river miles and over 227,000 acres of land in nine western states, securing permanent public access wherever possible. Our approach to river conservation is effective, tangible and permanent.

Featured Project 01

Columbia River

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest, flowing from British Columbia, through Washington and Oregon, and finally emptying into the Pacific Ocean, 1,200 miles from its origin in the Canadian Rockies.
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Featured Project 02

Tarryall Creek

Western Rivers Conservancy protected a key piece of a major migration corridor for elk, mule deer, pronghorn and other animals and opened access to five miles of Tarryall Creek by creating the Collard Ranch State Wildlife Area with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 
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Featured Project 03

Bear River

Tucked behind the Long Beach Peninsula, just north of the massive Columbia River mouth, lies Willapa Bay. One of Washington’s finest coastal and natural features, Willapa Bay is the second-largest estuary on the West Coast, containing a remarkable array of Pacific Northwest habitats.
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Explore WRC

About

Learn more about our impact and why we buy land along rivers. Meet the WRC staff and board, read our annual reports and meet the partners who help us get the job done.
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Give

Help WRC buy land along great rivers around the West to protect habitat for fish and wildlife and create public access for all.
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Discover

Read the blog, download newsletters, explore rivers you love (or never knew existed). Learn more about WRC’s conservation efforts across the West.
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Projects

WRC buys and conserves land along rivers throughout the American West. Learn more about our projects, state by state, from Washington to California, Oregon to Colorado, and beyond.
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