About Friends of the Mississippi River

Our Vision

Friends of the Mississippi River envisions a river that is recognized and celebrated for its intrinsic values. Imagine with us a river where the water is clear and clean and safe to swim in, where fish and wildlife are healthy and abundant, and where scenic bluffs and cultural treasures are protected.

This is a river where residents and visitors can escape the rush of daily life to find solitude in a hidden backwater, mystery beside ancient mounds, and the wonder of paddling past towering bluffs.

Here you can catch fish that are healthy to eat. You can stroll through oak savannas and sand prairies alive with the diversity of our natural heritage. Here historic sites speak to the timeless connection between people and the river.

Envision a river accessible to all and a community that actively embraces this river ethic and welcomes its role as the Mississippi Rivers steward for current and future generations.

Our Mission

Friends of the Mississippi River engages citizens to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region. We accomplish these goals through three interrelated programs.

Land Conservation

We work with public and private landowners to protect, restore and manage important natural areas along the river and its key tributaries.

Watershed Protection

Working with citizens and local governments, we draw attention to the health of local rivers, lakes and wetlands and bring citizen opinion to bear on decisions that improve water quality.

River Corridor Stewardship

The Mississippi River cannot protect itself. We engage citizens in a variety of educational, recreational, and volunteer stewardship activities that support their desire and give them the understanding to advocate on behalf of the river's public values at City Hall or the State Capitol.

Read more on our program areas page…

Our Organization

With over 1,400 members, 17 active board members, and nine full-time and seven part-time staff, Friends of the Mississippi River is a leading citizen organization working to protect and enhance the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. We were founded in 1993. In 2007, our river stewardship programs engaged over 2,500 volunteers in hands-on activities that improve the health of the Mississippi River.

Addtional details about our program work are available thoughout this site, and funder and financial information can be found in our Annual Reports.

Friends of the Mississippi River is recognized as a charitable 501(c)3 organization by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and is incorporated and registered as a charity in the State of Minnesota.

FMR has been reviewed by the Charities Review Council of Minnesota, and we have met all their accountability standards. Their review is available for public viewing at their web site.