We are excited to announce that the James River has been selected as the winner for the 2019 Thiess International Riverprize! This achievement is awarded biennially by the International River Foundation to recognize remarkable outcomes for rivers, river basins and their communities. The prize is considered the most coveted award of river and watershed restoration and is based on accomplishments in integrated river basin management.
We would also like to offer congratulations to the two other river finalists, the Chicago River in Illinois and the Whangawehi Stream in New Zealand for their achievements in their respective water systems!
What is the Thiess International Riverprize?
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Thiess Internation Riverprize by the Berth and Vera Thiess Foundation, hosted by International RiverFoundation. Riverprize is the world’s foremost award in river basin management. It is a celebration of outstanding river restoration achievements and recognizes organizations for their work towards improving the quality of an aquatic ecosystem.
The prize rewards innovation, achievement, and perseverance to groups who include a watershed-wide approach to its restoration projects in order to restore and protect rivers, wetlands, lakes and estuaries. Previous winners and finalists have received widespread recognition, built new partnerships, shared their knowledge and won other awards following Riverprize, becoming part of a network of river practitioners and experts from around the world.
