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Contact: Jeremy Walther, Founding Director
jeremy@kerrcountyriverfoundation.org | kerrcountyriverfoundation.org

Kerr County River Foundation established as community-driven 501(c)(3) dedicated to greenspace protection, watershed health, and collaborative stewardship — and will serve as new home for the Kerrville Urban Trail System

KERRVILLE, Texas — The Kerr County River Foundation (KCRF), a newly established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, launched in 2025 with a mission to enhance the Guadalupe River watershed in Kerr County through greenspace protection, scientific research, education, and collaborative community programming.

Among its first major milestones, KCRF has assumed stewardship of the Kerrville Urban Trail System (KUTS), which transitions to KCRF from its prior structure as a fund within the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. Established in 2018, KUTS has built a dedicated community of supporters around Kerrville’s river trail network, and its integration into KCRF creates a more unified approach to trail development, habitat restoration, and watershed conservation.

“What started eight years ago with a borrowed forklift and a pig roast has grown into a genuine community movement — one committed to defining what makes this place special and protecting it,” said Jeremy Walther, founding director of KCRF. “The Guadalupe River is at the heart of that. This foundation exists to make sure we’re doing right by the river and by the generations of Kerr County residents who depend on it.”

KCRF is governed by a seven-member board of directors whose expertise spans water policy, conservation science, geographic information systems, land law, and communications — bringing together some of the Hill Country’s most knowledgeable voices in river and watershed stewardship. The foundation is designed to complement and strengthen the work of existing regional organizations rather than duplicate it.

Current programs include the Adopt-a-River Trail volunteer stewardship initiative — with four active groups maintaining trail segments from G Street to Schreiner University — a photo monitoring and GIS network documenting ecological change across the watershed, and an axis deer management project that funds active habitat restoration. Additional programs include river short films, Coffee & Kayak educational events, Lions Park revitalization in Center Point, and the Shady Streets urban canopy initiative. The organization works in close partnership with the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, Hill Country Alliance, Kerr County, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and other regional entities.

For more information or to get involved, visit kerrcountyriverfoundation.org or contact jeremy@kerrcountyriverfoundation.org

About the Kerr County River Foundation: KCRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the enhancement of the Guadalupe River watershed in Kerr County through greenspace protection and expansion, education, and collaborative project-based programming. The foundation is headquartered in Center Point, Texas and serves as home to the Kerrville Urban Trail System.

Contact: Kayte Graham, Kerr County River Foundation — kayte@kerrcountyriverfoundation.org

A coalition of local businesses, nonprofits, and municipal agencies will join forces for a coordinated series of river cleanup events along the Guadalupe, with two kayak-based cleanups scheduled May 9 and May 30 as part of Trash Free Gulf, presented by H-E-B’s Our Texas, Our Future.

The events bring together the Kerr County River Foundation (KCRF), the City of Kerrville Parks Department, Central Provisions of Center Point, and a network of regional partners — including Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation, Keep Texas Beautiful, Mender, and Yogi Bins — in a shared effort to protect the health and integrity of the Guadalupe River watershed.

“The headwaters of the Guadalupe watershed begin in Kerr County. The water that moves through Kerrville-Schreiner Park and Lions Park will eventually reach the Gulf of Mexico. Stewardship here has a long reach, and these events are a tangible expression of what it means to be intentional about what goes downstream.” — Kayte Graham, President, KCRF

Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own kayaks and properly fitted life jackets. Rentals available through Kerrville Kayak and Canoe at paddlekerrville.com.

May 9 — Lions Park

200 Crossing St., Center Point  ·  10 a.m.  ·  Kayak-based cleanup

Volunteers will take to the river by kayak to collect debris from the waterway and adjacent banks. Following the cleanup, Bakery JoJu will host a wood-fired pizza popup at Central Provisions, with live music by Aidan Berg from 3 to 5 p.m.

Contact: kayte@kerrcountyriverfoundation.org

May 30 — Kerrville-Schreiner Park

2385 Bandera Hwy, Kerrville  ·  Check-in 7:30 a.m.  ·  Work begins 7:45 a.m.

Teams will be assigned to designated river sections. Debris drop points at Kerrville-Schreiner Park, Louise Hays Park, and the G-Street Trailhead.

Contact: Jay Brimhall, City of Kerrville Parks — Jay.Brimhall@kerrvilletx.gov

Looking Ahead — UGRA Annual River Cleanup, July 25

The summer’s cleanup season continues July 25 with UGRA’s annual river cleanup. Information and registration at ugra.org.

“UGRA’s annual event has anchored watershed stewardship in this region for years. Having these events lead into July creates a season of sustained attention to the river, not just a single day.” — Kayte Graham

For general event information, contact Kayte Graham at kayte@kerrcountyriverfoundation.org