— Celebrating 50 Years —
Wild & Scenic Rivers System

1968. A year of profound change. The Tet Offensive and Vietnam protests. The assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A standoff with North Korea over the capture of the USS Pueblo. Racial protests—even at the Mexico Olympics. Escalation of the Cold War; the Soviet Union invades Czechoslovakia. Riots at the Democratic Convention in Chicago. The transition of “Flower Power” to a more somber time in the country.

But it was also a year of new hope and growth. A manned spacecraft first orbits the moon. The Paris Peace Talks. The beginning of the end to Vietnam.

And it was a year of profound progress in environmental protection. “Sustainability” enters the lexicon with the publication of The Population Bomb and The Whole Earth Catalog. “Earthrise” from Apollo 8 defines a new perspective of our world. Six new national park units. Over 800,000 acres of wilderness protected. The National Trails System Act.

And on October 2, 1968, the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act.

There are approximately 3.6 million miles of streams in the United States; 1.1 million are at least five miles in length. Only 12,754 miles are protected by the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act—only 0.35% of the rivers found here.

But what a wonderful 12,754 miles! Allagash. Salmon. Snake. Missouri. Concord. Fortymile. Trinity.

As the Act nears a half century of protecting some of our greatest rivers, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating its accomplishments—and in working for its future. While there is much we have to do, there is much we have done, and to the thousands of people across the country that have worked tirelessly to save their local river, it’s time to take a moment to celebrate, to congratulate each other, to look forward. To add to the 12,754 miles.