“Our family is so grateful for this magical place that has opened its arms and brought joy and physical and mental health to its visitors every day.” - Maria Acosta, Riverwood visitor
I want to take you back to March 2020 for a moment. You’ll no doubt recall how we were first faced with a seismic change in the way we work, shop, dine, travel, and live. We faced an unexpected, but imperative ask – stay at home.
On the surface, it seemed a simple enough request, especially as the world faced a new threat from COVID-19. But as days turned to weeks and weeks to months, it became clear that in addition to facing the physical challenges the virus posed, we would also have to face the mental and emotional challenges of spending more time indoors and less time with the people we love.
That was certainly the case for Maria Acosta and her family. When COVID-19 restrictions went into place, Maria’s two teenaged sons and nine-year-old daughter had to swap time in school with their classmates for days and nights in front of glowing laptops and cell phone screens.
“I remember people were panicking, people were worried about going outside. Our kids were scared, and without being able to see their friends in person, they felt lonely,” recalls Maria.
“That’s when we turned to Riverwood. My daughter and I would hike on the trails, listening to the sounds of nature: the birds chirping, the wind in the trees, and the water rushing in the Credit River.
“We would immediately brighten up with the sweet visits of the chickadees coming to enjoy sunflower seeds from our hands, and with the sights of cardinals, blue jays, chipmunks, butterflies, and all the other creatures that make their home here,” says Maria.
Perhaps you too have felt the powerful, positive impact that nature can have on your body and mind. Your generous support of our conservation work ensures everyone in our community can safely connect to nature and find the fortitude they need to face whatever challenges life may have in store.
Of course, humans aren’t the only ones who benefit from our conservation efforts. Did you know that over 1,200 plant and animal species call Riverwood home?
Keeping all that wildlife and plant life healthy is a huge undertaking. It means cleaning up debris, repairing trail damage, removing invasive species, and planting native trees and wildflowers that promote biodiversity.
Thanks to donor support, our conservation work has led to a fourfold increase in bird species residing in or migrating through Riverwood since 2005, and the return of the bald eagle after an absence of over half a century.
Today, Riverwood’s woodlands, wetlands, and meadows support an abundance of life that includes green frogs, red bats, brown snakes, spotted salamanders, white-tailed deer, long-tailed weasels, and cottontail rabbits. It’s important to remember all those species live right here, especially at a time when construction cranes seem to sprout up faster than tulips.
We need your valued support to keep our conservation work going strong so we can preserve both the beauty and ecological diversity of Riverwood.
In our conversation with Maria, she left us with an important message.
“If you invest in nature, you get back more than you can imagine. Riverwood keeps us happy, healthy, hopeful. And we must always have hope,” she said.
My hope today is that you will be moved to donate, and in doing so, make a difference for people and planet as we step up our conservation work in the warmer months ahead.
Thank you so much for caring about your community and all its inhabitants – human, plant, and animal. We’re grateful as always for your support of The Riverwood Conservancy, and we wish you a joyful spring!
Sara Wilbur-Collins, CFRE Executive Director The Riverwood Conservancy
