#32 Nelson Mathews

Nelson Mathews is the Vice President of Western Rivers Conservancy, a group whose slogan is “Sometimes, in order to save a river, you have to buy it.” WRC buys land along the West’s finest rivers and streams to conserve habitat, protect key sources of cold water and provide public access.

They buy strategic properties that allow for the greatest conservation impact, and then transfer those lands into the hands of permanent conservation stewards. They partner with long-term stewards like the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, state parks, Tribal Nations and universities to ensure their conservation efforts are permanent.

As for Nelson, he developed a passion for all things rivers when he took a summer job in the 80’s as a whitewater rafting guide in th ...