Earth River Ethic

Earth River Expeditions was founded in 1989 on a number of core principles;
 running the finest, safest trips possible, hiring local guides from the areas and 
countries we visit, working with local communities to protect river resources where we run trips and helping to protect important river resources in areas we don’t visit when we feel we can make a difference.

Earth River Expeditions is not a non-profit. We have volunteered our time and resources over the years by donating a percentage of our profits and when necessary even running commercial trips to subsidize our conservation work. The conservation time line below briefly outlines our hands on river conservation work. More in depth accounts of a number of these projects can be found in some of the articles on the web site library.

Earth River Conservation time line

• March 1990: Organized and ran conservation awareness expedition on threatened Bio Bio River (Threatened by dams) in Chile with Natural Resources Defense Council. read NRDC Newsletter (Bio Bio trip).

• Feb. 1991: Organized and Ran conservation awareness expedition on Chile’s Bio Bio River with Chilean actors and artists. read Catherine Bragg letter (Grupo de Accion por el Bio Bio).  

• May 1991: Scouted 6 major rivers in Quebec looking for a stretch to run environmental awareness trips on to expose politicians and the media to the threat from the James Bay II Project.  (proposed to be one of the world’s largest hydro projects, flooding over 2,000 square miles). read Cree Chief Robby Dick letter, (Great Whale conservation trips).

• Aug. 1991 - Aug. 1993: Organized and ran eight conservation awareness trips (four Augusts) on threatened Great Whale River in James Bay, Quebec. Participants on different expeditions included; Natural Resources Defense Council, Chiefs and members of the Cree First Nation, National Geographic Magazine (yellow), Conde Nast Traveler, Turner Broadcasting, Nicolodian and politicians from New York and New England which were negotiating to purchase James Bay power which would have dammed and dewatered 8 major rivers and flooded an area the size of France. Also, began training Cree youth, taking six of them on an expedition down the Magpie river, so they could start running their own expeditions. read Luis Eguren, Coordinator Whapmagoostui Band of Cree First Nation, letter (Great Whale Conservation trips).

• Oct. 1992: Earth River, Great Whale River conservation awareness participants, Senator Franz Leichter and Assemblyman William Hoyt hold Legislative hearings in New York against buying power from the James Bay Project. Assemblyman Hoyt proposes legislation in New York legislature to stop the project. Later that year New Yorkwithdraws from their 5 billion dollar contract to buy power sending a near fatal blow to the project.  (Note: In 1994, The James Bay II Project is suspended indefinitely.) read NY Senator Franz Lichter letter

• Nov. 1993 - Current: Earth River Partners Robert Currie and Eric Hertz start the Earth River Trust on Patagonia Chile’s Futaleufu to ensure the Futaleufu would not meet the same destructive fate as the Bio Bio River to the north. Working with clients the trust has purchased and protected over 12 miles (22 parcels) of some of the most important and easily developed property along the Futaleufu. read Ronald G. Dodson, President Audubon International, letter. 

• July 1995: Scouted two river systems in Labrador by air and ran one expedition looking for place to bring media rafting to bring awareness to the Nato jet fly overs that were breaking the sound Barrier directly over Innu Native hunting camps and literally driving them from the bush and their cultural heritage. read excerpt from Cultural Survival Magazine.

• June 1997: Spent a week looking for a suitable river for the Ouj-Bougoumou Cree, an Indian community Northern Quebec that’s had many past hardships, to run eco-tourism trips for income on. read Cree Chief Bosum, Ouj-Bougoumou Cree, letter.

• April. 1998: Earth River partner, Robert Currie takes two van loads of local Futaleufu farmers for a week long visit to the Bio Bio River hydro-electric project to show them the massive devastation to the area from the dam.  When they saw the destruction a number of the participants were reduced to tears.

• July 1999: Ran first descent of British Columbia’s, Filer Creek and named the Yosemite like Valley it passes through, Headwall Canyon. Previously unknown to the outside world, the 12 mile, virgin old growth canyon contains over half a dozen of North America's highest waterfalls (up to 2,000 feet). Soon after running the trip, it was discovered that the entire Toba River watershed, which included Headwall Canyon, was threatened by clear-cut logging.

• May 2000: Organized and ran two conservation awareness trips on Newfoundland’s Main River which was threatened with clear cut logging. read excerpt from greatcanadianrivers.com.

• July 2000: Organized and ran conservation awareness trip through Headwall Canyon threatened by clear cut logging.  Expedition invitees included; actor Richard Dean Anderson, Robert Kennedy Jr, NRDC, Kathy Francis, chief of the Klahoose First Nation and National Geographic Television. view National Geographic Headwall Canyon trailer.

• Aug. 2004: Organized and ran conservation awareness trip on Magpie River threatened by a series of dams. Participants included Canadian Media and Canadian environmental groups including the Canada branch of the Sierra Club. read Michele Gauthier, Director, Quebec Rivieres Fondation, letter. 

• March 2005: Organized and ran conservation awareness trip on Futaleufu River (threatened by dams) with celebrities, members of the Chilean business community and Chilean Senator Antonio Horvath (Head of Senate environmental committee. Helped organize press conference with trip participants in Santiago after trip which was attented by major newspapers, magazines and Chilean television.

• • April - Nov. 2010:  Earth River partner, Robert Currie dedicates 6 months (March to November), and Earth River funds and co-organizes a study on the invasive algae, didymo phenia, to help insure that the Futaleufu region would not be closed down and that Patagonia would be protected from this highly invasive species that has wreaked havoc on many rivers in the U.S., Canada and New Zealand. Robert’s efforts have started a major educational program in Chile and pending legislation in the Chilean Senate. read excerpt from Futa Friends web site.

                          View individual protected Futaleufu Land Trust Properties

Note: The Earth River Trust on the Futaleufu is an ongoing project.  If you would like to find out more about the project or help, please contact the Earth River office.