WRV Public Statement Rejecting Racism
Published: 6/19/20
Today is Juneteenth, which should be a day of national celebration commemorating the end of slavery. Instead, much suffering is apparent, particularly for Black Americans, due to a long history of undeniable racism, injustice and lack of equity in our country.
In the past few weeks, WRV has joined many outdoor and environmental organizations in committing to ensure that outdoor spaces are safe, accessible, and open to all. At the same time, we recognize that outdoor spaces will never be equitable until all spaces are equitable.
Conservation, environmental, and outdoor organizations, including WRV, have not done enough to combat systemic racism against Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). While WRV has sought to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for all, we recognize that we have not always been successful. We therefore acknowledge that WRV must do more to combat systemic racism. We recognize that inaction on our part will contribute to the perpetuation of oppression.
WRV must step up. Going forward, we will challenge ourselves to answer hard questions about our choices as an organization and as individuals:
- Are we doing enough to confront and eliminate racism, discrimination, exclusion and injustice in all we do?
- Have we done, and are we doing, the right things to create a WRV that embraces and serves all members of the community?
- Are we doing our “work” as individuals, Board and Staff to learn, to see, understand and own, our individual assumptions, beliefs, unconscious biases and unhelpful behaviors that cause or perpetuate injustice and exclusion?
- Are we promoting diversity, equity and inclusions in all of our programs, systems, policies and procedures?
- Does our decision-making as an organization reflect the diverse participation and inputs of those who previously have been excluded?
To truly begin to tackle the long-term, systemic, and pervasive effects of institutional racism, we commit to embracing inclusivity and confronting and addressing oppression wherever it exists, including within our own community and organization. Building community is an important part of WRV’s mission. To build a diverse and inclusive community, we cannot ignore injustice or inequity. Indeed, failing to join in the fight against oppression simply affirms the status quo.
We therefore resolve publicly to reject racism and all that perpetuates the systemic oppression that has harmed BIPOC for so long. We further resolve to hold ourselves accountable for direct steps that create a more open, accessible, and inclusive WRV organization, equitable spaces for all, and tangible results that reflect our embrace of anti-racism. We have posted WRV’s detailed inclusiveness plan on our website, in which we commit to concrete actions to increase the diversity, equity and inclusiveness of our organization. WRV staff and Board are united in our commitment to action. With utmost respect we ask our greater community of volunteers, agency partners and donors to join with us to actively support these efforts.
Sincerely,

Katherine Thompson William McMullan
Executive Director Board Chair
Read our Inclusiveness Plan
Discover how WRV has fostered a community spirit of shared responsibility for the stewardship and restoration of public, protected, and ecologically important lands each year.

PRESS
- (November 2020) Longmont Times-Call: Longmont awarded $219K Great Outdoors Colorado grant: “With its funding, the city of Longmont will partner with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) to deploy volunteer crews for needed maintenance at four locations: the city’s greenway trails, Golden Ponds, McIntosh Lake, and Sandstone Ranch Nature Area,” the Colorado Lottery-funded agency said in its announcement.
- (October 2020) The Cottonwood Institute: CI partners with WRV, Thorne, and more to launch Stewardship Internship
- (October 2020) The Longmont Leader: Nonprofit, farmers join forces for healthy future of ag lands
- (September 2020) The Chaffee County Times: Wildlands Restoration Volunteers plan Fourmile work day
- (August 2020) Loveland Reporter-Herald: Larimer County announces 2020 Environmental Stewardship Awards
- (August 2020) Boulder Daily Camera: Wildlands Restoration Volunteers leads third annual river cleanup along St. Vrain Greenway
- (August 2020) Dolores River Restoration Partnership: Partner Highlight, 2019 Annual Report
- (July 2020) Longmont Times-Call: Wildlands Restoration Volunteers moving headquarters to Longmont
- (November 2019) Loveland Reporter-Herald: Young Gulch Trail in Poudre Canyon reopens after 7 years
- (October 2019) The Coloradoan: The trail that wouldn’t die: How volunteers revived 100-year-old Young Gulch Trail
- (August 2019) NBC Denver: Volunteers have spent thousands of hours rebuilding this trail
- (July 2019) Audubon Rockies: Restoring St Vrain Creek
- (April 2019) Boulder Daily Camera: Wildlands Restoration Volunteers celebrating 20 years with 20 events in Boulder, Longmont, beyond
- (November 2018) CBS Denver: Some skip the stores on Black Friday to volunteer outside
- (May 2018) KUNC: There’s a domestic war raging right now — against a plant
- (October 2017) Rocky Mountain Collegian: CSU Students help restore areas devastated by 2013 Boulder floods
- (September 2017) Colorado Public Radio: Restoration of Left Hand Creek continues four years after historic floods
- (August 2017) Boulder Daily Camera: Native seed collectors help revegetate land in Boulder County
- (July 2017) The Coloradoan: Volunteers continue work on Young Gulch Trail
- (August 2016) Boulder Daily Camera: Teens help with river restoration project as part of North Fork flood recovery
- (April 2016) The Denver Post: Volunteers to conduct final restoration work at Lower Skin Gulch
ANNUAL REPORTS AND 990s
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