About me
Michael Fiebig directs the Southwest River Protection Program at American Rivers, leading efforts to protect and defend the most ecologically and culturally important rivers in the Southwest U.S. by partnering with Tribes, local communities, NGOs, land managers, researchers, creatives, and elected officials. Priority initiatives include the Greater Gila River Wild and Scenic campaign (NM), Little Colorado River Initiative (AZ), Upper Verde Wild and Scenic Coalition (AZ), Dolores River Coalition (CO), Pecos River defense (NM), protection of the Caja del Rio (NM), the Crystal River stakeholder initiative (CO), Colorado River management, the Water and Tribes Initiative’s Upper Basin Dialogues, legal and policy reforms, public lands planning, and Outstanding National Resource Waters (ONRW) designations in AZ, CO, and NM. Prior to moving back to the Southwest, Mike was Conservation Director for the Northern Rockies Region of American Rivers where he co-founded the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition, the Wild Rivers Film Tour, and Montanans for Healthy Rivers (MHR). He produced the film Every Bend in support of MHR, and coordinated the coalition whose work led to the designation of East Rosebud Creek, Montana’s first Wild and Scenic River in 42 years. Mike is a former Wyss Conservation Fellow, and was a Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Forest Service, where he served as the Climate Action Plan Coordinator for the federal agencies of Greater Yellowstone. He also worked as a Climate Specialist for USAID, where he co-authored an Environmental Threats and Opportunities Assessment for USAID’s work in the Republic of Zambia. Mike’s work is informed and inspired by hundreds of weeks spent sleeping under the stars and paddling remote rivers as a Senior Field Instructor and Program Supervisor at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and as a river guide, kayak instructor, and biological field technician. In 2018, Mike and his partner, Jenny, completed a 1775-mile, 5-month, source-to-sea decent of the Green/Colorado rivers from Wyoming to Mexico during their sabbaticals. They live with their dog in Durango, CO, where Mike and Jenny co-lead trips reconnecting people to themselves, each other, and the environment. Education: M.S. in Natural Resources Policy and Management from the University of Montana, and a graduate certificate in Natural Resources Conflict Resolution (2008). His thesis on place-based conservation legislation resulted in a journal article published in Ecology Law Quarterly (2010). B.S. in Neuroscience; B.A. in Philosophy, Michigan State University (1997)
