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Roundtable: The Inadvertent “Trashing” of River Experiences
Tuesday, August 09, 2022, 3:30 AM - 4:30 PM EDT
Category: Events

The Inadvertent “Trashing” of River Experiences

River Management Roundtable
Aug. 9 | 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. ET
Watch the Recording

The popularity of non-motorized river recreation continues to grow, and with it, the numbers of river visitors unfamiliar with responsible outdoor etiquette and best practices assumed by long-time enthusiasts. While new faces are welcome, the increased use presents a challenge for river managers and stewards operating with limited resources as they navigate the inadvertent trashing of our rivers, riverbanks and environs.  RMS has visited this topic with River Management Roundtable (RMR) topics “Responding to the Ever-Growing Love for River Recreation” and “Messaging for Those who Don’t Read Signs and Drown."

In this session, we’ll discuss the responsibility to manage activity "above the high water mark" that impacts a visitor's day on or at the river. We’ll include perspectives of a "river level" professional and that of one or more agencies charged with managing access and corridor activity. This topic is timely as we will be meeting when the height of the summer season is barely behind us. The issues are simple and the solutions “not so much,” so we look forward to a great discussion.

Presenters

Gary Ananian

Gary Ananian is the Executive Director and Founder of the Kern River Conservancy. KRC was founded in the summer of 2013 when Los Angeles resident Gary Ananian decided it was time for someone to stand up and care for the Kern River. After spending many summer adventures with his friends on the Kern, Gary grew impatient and frustrated with all the trash and vandalism that was impacting the river. After several discussions with his close friends and the Forest Service, Kern River Conservancy was born. Gary’s background was hospitality management in Hollywood’s bar and nightclub industry. Gary had absolutely no education or experience in environmental conservation, but he had the skills to communicate with anyone and his social media experience was strong from promoting nightclubs and events in Hollywood.

Dave Cernicek

David Cernicek lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and works as the River Manager for the Bridger-Teton National Forest overseeing the Snake River Headwaters Wild & Scenic Designation. He is a member of the Interagency Wild & Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council (IWSRCC).

Jon Kazmierski

Jon Kazmierski is a District Ranger on the Daniel Boone National Forest where he has helped usher in a new chapter of management on the Wild and Scenic Red River with the development of a Comprehensive River Management Plan and additional management actions throughout the watershed. Jon has spent twenty-two years with the U.S. Forest Service and has helped guide management of several wilderness areas and Wild and Scenic Rivers in California, Michigan, and Kentucky.

Lindsay Larson

Lindsay Larson was the Connecticut Watershed Manager with the Housatonic Valley Association for 4.5 years. In that time she was the lead manager for education and outreach programs related to river recreation. She managed the River Information & Outreach (RIO) program for 5 summers, and has extensive experience in visitor engagement at river recreation areas. She received her B.S. (Wildlife Ecology) from the University of Maine in 2009 and her M.S. (Natural Resources & the Environment, with a focus on Human Dimensions) from the University of Connecticut in 2017. Lindsay is currently the new Project Manager with the Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity.


Registration

River Management Roundtables are open to both RMS members and non-members. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required! We share recordings from our Roundtables, so even if you can't make it, you can register to receive the recording and links. You can access this recording as well as dozens of previous Roundtables, webinars and workshops in our River Training Channel.

Register

About RMS River Management Roundtables

Each month, the River Management Society hosts virtual conversations with professional river, greenway, and water trails leaders, planners, and managers whose community, region, state and federal river will benefit from the experiences of peer-to-peer sharing. Our goal is to facilitate an open forum to support your work managing rivers. We work together to tackle common issues by asking questions, sharing solutions and building comradery.