Outdoor America 2024 Issue 4
In 2024, the Izaak Walton League worked on Capitol Hill and in communities to defend landscapes and wildlife. We welcomed new staff and brought people together around clean water and outdoor recreation. We celebrated our historic accomplishments and
looked ahead to our vision for the future - and we got noticed. Here are a few of our accomplishments from the past year.
Celebrated Our Role Creating Upper Mississippi River Refuge
2024 marked the 100th anniversary of the League’s central role in establishing the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish
Refuge, which provided the template for conservation advocacy in the 20th century.
Celebrations included a special exhibit at the National Mississippi River Museum in the Quad Cities region of Iowa and Illinois, induction
of League founder Will Dilg into the National Rivers Hall of Fame, a congressional resolution recognizing the anniversary and Steven Marking’s theatrical performance about the Refuge in “A Visit from Will Dilg.”
Worked to Protect Drinking Water
Through the League’s Clean Water programs like Nitrate Watch and Salt Watch, the League introduced new advocacy and media tools, leveraging the
power of volunteer scientists to gather water quality data and push locally for policies and practices that reduce pollution at the source.
These clean water champions returned more than 2,500 Nitrate Watch readings and 7,100 Salt Watch results. Also, 110 people across
the country learned more about aquatic life by becoming certified Save Our Streams monitors.
Raised Awareness about the League
Dozens of media stories including coverage from National Public Radio and PBS appeared in 2024 explaining the League’s work to create the Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge. Additional stories focused on the League’s work to pass a better Farm Bill and restore Clean Water Act protections for the nation’s streams and wetlands.
Advocated for America's Disappearing Grasslands
The League hosted a briefing for congressional staff about the importance of grassland conservation and helped draft the North
American Grasslands Conservation Act which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in October.
Pressed Congress for a Better Farm Bill
Staff visited congressional offices on Capitol Hill and in district offices and worked with partners to inform lawmakers, the public and the
media about the need to scale up conservation, reduce polluted runoff and improve soil health across millions of acres of land through the Farm Bill.
Onboarded New Talent in the National Office
Maggie Dombroski joined our staff as Mid-Atlantic Save Our Streams Coordinator, we welcomed Erica Smith as Membership Manager and Kate Hansen
stepped in as our new Agriculture Program Director.
Welcomed Three New Izaak Walton League Chapters
New chapters in New Jersey, Indiana and Wisconsin underscore the continuing value of the Izaak Walton League as a hub for conservation and a
gateway to outdoor recreation in communities across the United States.