The Nisqually River Council (NRC) has pursued sustainability in the Nisqually Watershed since its creation in 1987. The oldest watershed council in the Western United States, the NRC is a nationally-recognized model of collaborative local conservation, bringing together the watershed’s stakeholders around a shared vision that balances the rights of private landowners, statewide public interests, access to the river, tribal fishing rights, and protection and recovery for fish and wildlife species.
Today, the NRC has 28 member agencies, representing state, federal, tribal, and local governments, as well as an active Citizens Advisory Committee. The NRC helps to coordinate conservation, restoration, and natural resource management activities in the watershed, serving as the Citizens Committee of the Nisqually Lead Entity for Salmon Recovery and housing the Nisqually Watershed Planning Unit. We also support education and volunteer and outreach programs that promote collaboration, trust and communication between community members, agency representatives, and non-profit organizations. The NRC is guided by the Nisqually Watershed Stewardship Plan (NWSP), which contains our vision for a sustainable watershed community. Our mission is to create sustainability in the Nisqually Watershed for current and future generations by developing a common culture of environmental, social, and economic balance.
The Nisqually River Council meets the third Friday of every month at various locations throughout the watershed. All meetings are free and open to the public. The Nisqually River Foundation (NRF) is the non-profit organization that provides the staffing and funding power to the NRC.
