Articles

After working together on a limited basis in 2002, American Whitewater and Kayak Session have broadened their relationship to include even greater benefits to AW members. Starting in 2003, Kayak Session will offer a $25 subscription rate to all American Whitewater members. AW is thrilled to offer this new benefit to its membership base. For the past year, Kayak Session printed an AW article in each issue, creating a great source for American Whitewater to voice its mission to both

Here’s something to do with those empty cartridges we’d all rather recycle. Now you can donate them to American Whitewater and your rivers will reap the proceeds. Simply mail your used cartridges to American Whitewater, 1424 Fenwick Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and we will recycle them for you. If you have any doubts or questions just contact nick@amwhitewater.org.

In early December, the American Whitewater board of directors met via phone conference for our annual winter meeting. Our task was to review the financials for the current year, discuss and approve the budget for 2003, discuss the location and focus of the spring board meeting, and to deal with any other action items which have surfaced since our last meeting at the Gauley festival. 2001 and 2002 have proven to be extremely challenging financially for AW and the entire

American Whitewater invites you to testdrive our new Access Toolbox at www.americanwhitewater.org/access/accesstoolbox.htm.The Access Toolbox has easy to use and easy to understand information about issues affecting river access throughout the United States. This toolbox, as the name implies, is designed to help you and our members protect and restore access to our nation’s rivers.Some of the highlights include: Easy to understand summaries of state navigability and liability laws; Managing risk; Working with landowners; Congressional action guides; Guidelines for reducing visitor

On December 23, 2002 the 9th Circuit Court dismissed MADISON v. GRAHAM, No. 01-35145. The suit sought to have Montana’s Stream Access Law declared unconstitutional on the basis that the statute precluded property owners from excluding others from their property as a Fifth Amendment takings claim.In 1985, the Montana Legislature enacted the Montana Stream Access Law. The law provides that “all surface waters that are capable of recreational use may be so used by the public without regard to the

Regional coordinator Vicky Vine, of Chico California, was a major factor in the very successful first season of recreational releases on the North Fork Feather River in Northern California. Vicky attended all five release weekends, spending many long hours working the booth and helping solve the many challenges that crop up during the start-up of a new release schedule. Vicky’s selfless dedication of her time and energy is but a small example of her love of rivers and her sense

This past Monday AW Executive Director Risa Shimoda and long-time Safety Committee member Charlie Walbridge met with Pam Dillon, the new executive director of the American Canoe Association (ACA). Dave Jenkins, ACA’s legal expert, Virgil Chambers, executive director of the National Safe Boating Council, and Ruth Wood, Executive Director of BOAT US also participated. ACA and AW were asking Ms. Wood’s advice on preparing a joint Coast Guard Grant application to be coordinated by Risa. In addition to support from

Today’s decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturning theIdaho District Court’s preliminary injunction on the Roadless AreaConservation Rule is an outstanding victory for conservation of the Nation’s headwaters rivers and streams. The Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling reflects the wishes of the millions ofAmericans who participated in the most inclusive rulemaking in federalrulemaking history. More than 1.6 million comments were received andmore than 600 public hearings were held throughout the country in theformulation of this landmark policy that protects

Vote today for those who have been recommended to serve on the American Whitewater Board of Directors. Recommended board members’ names, hometowns, and a brief summary of their background and qualifications are listed. These recommended board members, nominated to fill current board vacancies, will serve for a term of three (3) years, beginning January 1, 2003. You are eligible to vote if you are a dues-paying member in good standing. Individual Affiliate Clubs have two votes for each of the

NPFF Announces BIG CHANGES for 2003! The Bluegrass Wildwater Association and it’s volunteers invite you to enter and attend the 2003 NPFF featuring the joy, challenge, and beauty of kayaking, and canoeing in a competition of video, film, and computer images, both still and motion. Each year the festival has grown and this year is no different as we continue to look at new ways to have fun, entertain and contribute more to river conservation. Please join with the volunteers

December 7th, a lawsuit was dismissed that alleged that the California Coastal Commission does not have the right to require property owners to allow public access near their beachfront homes. The suit, brought by David Geffen of entertainment recording fame sought to keep people off the beach in front of his home. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Yaffe ruled that the September decision by California’s Coastal Commission requiring at least a dozen public pedestrian walkways along Malibu’s 27 miles

If you have scouted or paddled the typically dewatered "Great Falls of the Catawba" near the town of Great Falls, SC, Please contact Kevin Colburn at AW. Please email a trip report and your contact information to kevin@amwhitewater.org or call 828-252-6482.Thanks!

Southern Forests are the fiber basket of the world. As logging decreased in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1990s, it accelerated across the South. Today, the Southern US is the largest wood-producing region in the world, producing 25 percent of the world s paper products and two-thirds of the paper made in the US. According to a 2-year federal study released last November: • The paper industry is the largest consumer of forests in the region, logging about 5