We are excited to host the Chicago River Summit: Linking Watersheds in partnership with the Chicago Wilderness Alliance. This event celebrates the intersections of watershed planning, climate justice, environmental health, and nature. Just as ecosystem health is strengthened with biodiversity, a wide-spanning diversity of voices is necessary to create a resilient Chicago-Calumet River watershed. With jurisdictional and watershed boundaries rarely aligning, coordination is imperative to effectively address shared challenges.

Celebrate our 20th anniversary of the Chicago River Summit! Since 2004, Friends of the Chicago River has hosted the Chicago River Summit to create a platform for leaders to come together to tackle complex issues threatening the river system and explore the intersections of human and environmental health. In 2004, Friends and Chicago Wilderness came together for a Linking Watersheds conference, serving as a pivotal gathering to unite various watershed groups from across the region.

Two decades later, new challenges have emerged, but the need for coordination across sectors and jurisdictional boundaries remains. We are excited to once again partner with Chicago Wilderness and revisit the Linking Watersheds theme in 2024 to highlight the importance of regional coordination and innovative partnerships. As we collectively confront the challenges of climate change and legacy pollution, part of our shared mission is to break down silos between air, water, land, and wildlife conservation and to re-learn that we are all one connected environment. 

Through Linking Watersheds, we aim to serve as a catalyst for knowledge exchange, coordination, and the development of comprehensive strategies to tackle pressing issues collectively. Renowned speakers from the region will offer invaluable perspectives and insights at the summit.