About Us
Wind River Alliance is a cross-cultural, community-based organization dedicated to the health and protection of the Wind River watershed. Wind River Alliance was formed in the Fall of 2001 by concerned community members in order to address the threats and challenges facing the Wind River watershed.
A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common point. The Wind River watershed is 4.9 million acres in size and includes all the land that drains into Wind River Canyon. The Wind River watershed stretches from the Owl Creek and Absaroka Mountains in the north, to the Wind River Range and Beaver Divide in the south. Watersheds are determined by topography—not by political divides. For this reason, Wind River Alliance is committed to reaching across political and cultural boundaries to include anyone interested in a healthy watershed.
Healthy rivers and a healthy watershed are the foundation of healthy communities. We ask a lot from our rivers; they provide us with drinking water, food, irrigation and recreational opportunities, and are important to us spiritually and aesthetically. By working to protect and restore our rivers, we improve our own health and the health of generations to come.
Wind River Alliance is a nonprofit organization funded by grants and by donations from individual members. As a nonprofit, Wind River Alliance can play a unique and valuable role in protecting the watershed. Unencumbered by government bureaucracy, re-election worries, and other political constraints, the Alliance can provide a consistent, longterm voice for the watershed.
Mission
The mission of Wind River Alliance is to promote a healthy Wind River watershed, and by that, assist in restoring justice and health to our communities.
Goals and Objectives
- To promote education and understanding of a healthy watershed.
- To encourage and empower residents to participate in activities and policy-making that promotes the health of the ecosystem.
- To facilitate communication among individuals, cultures, institutions, governments and communities with a common concern for a healthy watershed.
- To advocate for policies that protect or restore the watershed and the communities that depend upon it for sustenance, livelihood, recreation, and spiritual and aesthetic benefit.
- To promote research and disseminate information regarding the watershed, its management and health.
- To recognize and address cultural, political, economic, and racial inequities affecting the Wind River watershed.
Strategies
- Community organizing and outreach
- Activist/leadership training
- Public and policy action
- River stakeholder dialogues
Style
- Involve the youth
- Respect and involve the elders
- Engage the community
- Throw light on the issue
- Get real on-the-ground work done
- Consider multi-cultural values
- Use the best available science