IRU’s 2024 River Love Stories…
When our staff isn’t hard at work fighting for the rivers we love, we try to get out as much as possible and enjoy them. In the spirit of expressing our love and past love affairs for rivers and the wild landscapes we adore, here’s our connections to them and how our team is planning to LOVE RIVERS this year, as told in photo essay form.
“I'm going to continue to LOVE Idaho's rivers by making sure I spend as much time as possible exploring and appreciating them with my river family. Every day I get to spend in my boat makes the work we do at IRU have that much more meaning to me.” - Nick Kunath, Conservation Program Manager
“My love affair with Idaho’s rivers began in earnest during college and my trips up fly fishing on the St. Joe, waking up most mornings to a dense fog that concealed the forested mountains. By midmorning, the fog had abated revealing a deep green that seemed only a myth to someone growing up on the sage prairies of Southwestern Wyoming. The willingness of Westslope cutthroats to rise to a dry fly was, for the first time, a secondary pleasure to the sense of place that seemed all consuming. My mind still incessantly wanders back to those bygone days.” - Nic Nelson, Executive Director
“I plan to take in Idaho's rivers in a variety of ways while hiking, running, and hopefully even a bit of paddling - appreciating the spring pulse of water along intermittent streams in the Boise foothills and Idaho desert, visiting headwaters lakes and streams high in the mountains, and escaping the heat of summer with a dip in the Boise River by the IRU office.” - Stephen Pfeiffer, Conservation Associate
“I will love Idaho's rivers by advocating for their right to flow wild, clean, and free, and will be grateful when creating life-long memories along the riverbanks with those that I love.” - Sydney Anderson, Conservation Associate
“I will show love for Idaho’s rivers by throwing sticks in as many rivers as possible for my dog, Memphis, removing litter from the banks of the Boise River greenbelt with IRU volunteers, organizing an IRU river clean-up in my hometown, Idaho Falls, and enjoying the serene beauty of our rivers on rafting trips with friends, family, and the IRU crew!” - Lindsey Paynter, Membership & Volunteer Coordinator
“Ever since I started running rivers, I’ve made it a goal and tradition to see and paddle a new one every year. This year I’m hoping to get more practice kayaking and get my boat out plenty of weekends. I feel lucky to work at IRU where our office culture supports river stewardship in all forms!” - Tess McEnroe, Communications Associate
