Everyone Deserves Clean Water

Loving something and knowing how to protect it are two different things.

I’ve cared about clean water since my days as a child playing in the stream in our woods. But for a long time, translating that passion into effective advocacy felt overwhelming. I understood the parts – the permit processes, the public comment periods, the regulatory agencies – but not always how they fit together or where I could be most effective.

Wild Virginia’s Clean Water Advocates program provided me with that missing framework – demystifying the process and building a solid skill set to act on that understanding. I came away not just more knowledgeable, but more confident and empowered. That knowledge has made me a more effective advocate – for my county’s waterways and for Virginia’s waters more broadly.

Clean water advocacy requires both passion and competence. Wild Virginia’s program helped me bring both to the table — and I’m grateful for the donors who make it possible. I hope you’ll consider joining them.

— Amy Ulland, 2025 Clean Water Advocate