NGRREC Mission Statement

The Center’s scholars and scientists study the ecology of the big rivers, the workings of the watersheds that feed them, and ties to the river communities that use them. NGRREC aspires to be a leader in scholarly research, education and outreach related to the interconnectedness of large rivers, their floodplains and watersheds, and their associated communities.

Mission Common Themes

• Conduct research that makes significant contributions to our understanding of big rivers and their watersheds
• Actively solicit community and other stakeholder input to ensure that our research is truly relevant and responsive to societal needs
• Build and disseminate a corpus of research and expertise that contributes to sound river management and the continuing sustainability of healthy and productive big river systems
• Promote the use of adaptive management and continuous improvement strategies that regularly apply lessons learned from the river / watershed sites to ongoing management practices and continuing research
• Develop and implement education and outreach programs that
  - foster a greater understanding and appreciation for the great rivers, and
  - extend and apply knowledge gained from the research to protect and sustain the quality of river   environments and to implement sound river management strategies and practices

Note: As implied in the mission statement and mission common themes, the breadth and scope of the mission includes what is often called the “river systems.” In the context of NGRREC’s mission, the terms river system and large river are often used interchangeably and will be understood to include: the river itself, its floodplain, and the larger watershed, including the tributaries, streams and channels that interconnect with the river, and adjacent communities that depend on the river system.