Morning Consult poll demonstrates that Americans in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming want to see both state and federal officials prioritize water security in the Colorado River Basin
A new Morning Consult poll commissioned by the Walton Family Foundation finds that Americans across the Colorado River Basin are deeply concerned about the impacts of drought and strongly support action to protect the region's water future. Nearly 9 in 10 voters are concerned about risks including wildfires, threats to clean drinking water and declining water levels in the Colorado River. Most also say addressing these challenges is an important personal priority and believe federal and state leaders should make water security a priority this year.
From the smallest streams to the vast ocean, water connects us all. Healthy rivers, lakes and wetlands sustain wildlife, strengthen communities, create economic opportunity and help protect people from a changing climate. By investing in nature-based solutions to care for these vital places, we can build more resilient communities, create jobs and help protect our neighborhoods. When nature thrives, so do we.
For decades, the Price River ran through Helper City, Utah, but the community had largely lost access to it. Working together, residents and partners like Trout Unlimited used nature-based solutions to help restore the river.
In the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, land is more than a place to farm. It can be a livelihood, a family legacy and a connection to the natural world. Through nature-based solutions like restoring wetlands and replanting native forests, local partners are helping landowners conserve frequently flooded farmland while keeping their land in the family.
For generations, fishing communities on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula have depended on the sea for their livelihoods and way of life. But as once-abundant fish populations declined, local fishers came together to give the ocean time and space to recover. Through nature-based solutions like fish refuges, communities are protecting critical areas from fishing while helping monitor the health of local fisheries.
The work to restore the Colorado River starts where the river begins. In a fire-scarred valley at its headwaters, a dedicated team is using nature-based solutions to bring lost wetlands back and rebuild resilience — helping restore the place that sustains the West.
Across Iowa, farmers are rediscovering an old idea: keeping living roots in the ground for more of the year. Nature-based solutions like relay cropping can help soil hold more water, reduce erosion and lower flood risk for communities downstream. Now, farmers and researchers are gathering new data on these benefits — while passing generations of knowledge on to the farmers who will carry the work forward.
For farmers, adopting conservation practices can mean upfront costs and benefits that take years to develop. In Iowa, an innovative financing model is helping expand the support available to farmers making that transition.
This practical guide helps small, community-based nonprofits understand how artificial intelligence can strengthen fundraising while keeping relationship-building at the center of their work. Designed for nonprofit leaders and fundraising professionals—particularly those in conservation—it offers guidance on organizational readiness, AI policies, fundraising workflows, recommended tools, and seven interactive prompts that can be used with popular AI platforms to support planning, donor engagement, and communications. The guide was prepared by Strategic By Nature and Virga Labs in partnership with the Walton Family Foundation.
