About the River Revitalization Foundation

The River Revitalization Foundation, or as I will frequently say the RRF, is located near the Riverside and Murray Hill neighborhoods in downtown Milwaukee. Or if you're unfamiliar with neighborhoods, it's a few blocks North of Brady St along the Milwaukee River. That area of Milwaukee is unique for being a thriving metropolis with a strong wildlife presence due to the abundance of natural parks nearby. What isn't so very well known though, is that nearly all of the parks along the river exist because of the RRF. And of that land, most of it is technically privately owned. This is because the RRF is what is called a 'Land Trust' organization. Meaning that they acquire land, protect and upkeep the land, but also allow the public to come as they please. For them, their land is like a state park that anyone can enjoy without paying at all. 

https://riverrevitalizationfoundation.org/2020/04/02/milwaukee-river-greenway/

But because there are no fees to the public, and they are not run by the state, all of the upkeep is done strictly through donations. These donations are either in the form of land, money, time, or supplies. You may wonder what kind of upkeep a 'natural' park may need, but there is surprisingly a lot of work that needs to get done. Keeping invasive species in check is a never-ending battle. The same applies to litter and the deterioration of infrastructures like paths and benches. This is why not only is monetary donations necessary, but also the labor of people. 

They have been active as a group since 1994 and were founded with help from the Kiwanis Club and Rotary Club of Milwaukee. Their mission statement is as follows:

“The River Revitalization Foundation's mission is to establish a parkway for public access, walkways, recreation and education, bordering the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers; to use the rivers to revitalize surrounding neighborhoods; and to improve water quality.”

Today, you'll find that mission statement being upheld by full-time organizers Vince Bushell and Paige Papelbon, and many other staff and volunteers. 


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome!

Image
Hello and welcome! I'm Nicole Meyer, a student at UW-Milwaukee. This semester I helped out the River Revitalization Foundation (RFF) here in downtown Milwaukee. This little blog is here to tell you about the great time I had and all of the things I learned. But before I get started on what I did, I want to tell you a little about myself and the RFF. 
Read more

After Thoughts

Image
Truthfully, I wish that I would have been more aware of the area sooner. It's obvious that when you look on say google maps, that there is green which is drawn from the RRF house to the North. But I hadn't known before that the area was actually freely accessible to the public, and is in as lovely as a condition as it is. I had grown so used to anything with a view of the water being carved away for private developers. I think that what they have going on is amazing all around. Practical for our environment and the health of our city, but also just a lovely and relaxing place to be. I look forward to being able to help out either with more F.O.R.B work, or illustrations in the future.  Another last thought I wanted to expand upon is how the Greenway doesn't really fit into being a destination of ecotourism. But it can add a different kind of monetary value. Waterfront property is always considered a hot commodity. And to have it raises your property value immensely. And eve...
Read more

About Me

Image
Hello! I'm Nicole Meyer, I'm 22 years old, and this is my first year at UW-Milwaukee but my 5th year in college. I'm what you would call a double transfer student. I began college in September 2016 and I spent two and a half years in the IA+D (Interior Architecture & Design) program at MIAD. I loved my area of study but was very unhappy with some practices of the school itself, so I left. I then went to UW-Waukesha for a year and a half to fulfill my gen-eds. Finally, I transferred to UW-Milwaukee this fall of 2020 so that I can finish my bachelor's. My major is in environmental conservation because my future goal is to create furniture and architectural designs that are sustainable and inspired by organic material. 
Read more