How did we get here?
The Copper River Watershed Project is a membership organization. We have members from within and beyond the Copper River watershed, although only members living in the region may vote on CRWP actions. In 1994 - 1995, Cordova's local government held a series of town meetings to hear the community's preferences for potential development strategies in the lower Copper River watershed. Dr. Riki Ott, a Cordova resident and commercial fisher, followed up on these meetings with two strategies: she proposed that the Artists for Nature Foundation (Netherlands) feature the Copper River delta in one of its art projects, and she organized another series of meetings in 1996 on sustainable development.
Sustainable development gives a name to what people stated they wanted at the 1994 – 1995 Cordova workshops and at other meetings since then: economic diversification, with benefits for watershed residents, but not at the expense of their quality of life.
Initially a steering committee made up of 16 - 20 community residents guided the effort from March 1996 - April 1998. The organization was formally incorporated in December 1997, and tax-exempt status was granted from the IRS in July 1998. The first board was elected in November 1998.
MILESTONES
October 2003 Eight blue dumpsters and four drums are deployed throughout Cordova for the Cordova Can Do! aluminum recycling program.
September 2003 Gulkana River fish viewing platform project to protect salmon spawning area is completed.
June-September 2003 Second year of FishWatch data collected throughout Copper River watershed.
June 2003 Pilot year of salmon composting project begins with the goal of creating a marketable product from the 25 million pounds of waste produced each year.
June 2003 Eyak Lake fish habitat restoration project completed.
June-September 2002 FishWatch volunteers collect first season of water quality, habitat quality, and human use level data for Copper River watershed lakes and streams.
August 2001-March 2002 FishWatch Planning Team and CRWP FishWatch Coordinator, Becky Clausen, design a volunteer-based fish habitat monitoring program for the Copper River drainage.
August 2001 Fish Creek (Mile 190 Richardson Highway) trail rehabilitation project to protect salmon habitat is completed.
March, 2001 First community-wide workshop on fish waste solutions organized by CRWP.
Winter 2000 Cordova Chamber of Commerce's Tourism Advisory Committee drafts a tourism marketing plan for how to achieve community tourism goals.
Summer 2000 Chugach Forest Plan Revision alternative prepared and submitted by a CRWP-sponsored committee of residents, fishermen, and tourism business owners.
Summer 1999 CRWP interns conducting survey of tourists on cruise ship vessles find that travelers on smaller tours took more local excursion trips (glacier tours, kayaking, rafting) and consequently spent more in Cordova than larger vessel passengers.
July 1999 CRWP completes fish habitat restoration project on Copper River delta.
April 1998 The following reports are published: (1) Making the Most of Copper River Resources: Fisheries Resources & Options, (2) Making the Most of Copper River Resources: Forestry Resources & Options, (3) Making the Most of Copper River Resources: Tourism Resources & Options, (4) A report of measures of community wealth, Copper River Riches: What Makes Us Special? If you would like copies of these reports, contact us.
March 1998 CRWP asks Cordova residents to discuss what they value about living in the Copper River watershed.
September 1997 Organizational meeting held in Cordova with residents from Chitina, Glennallen, McCarthy and Cordova participating. Residents agree to form an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Anchorage Museum of History and Art agrees to hold premier exhibition of "Alaska's Copper River Delta" (summer 1998).
April 1997 Residents of Cordova meet with Copper Valley residents in Glennallen, Alaska. Participants from the Copper Valley agree to form a steering committee with diverse interests of the area.
March 1996 Sustainable development workshop held in Cordova. Steering committee forms to build consensus. Members made up of local businesses, native organizations, fishermen, scientists, and local, state and federal government representatives.
July 1995 First team of ANF artists visits the delta and produces over 400 art pieces of widlife, landscape and community. Baker-Jennings Films produces documentary video.
