A Shescape in the Colorado River Basin
The monumental lifeline that is the Colorado River has carved canyons and sustained cultures and wildlife for millions of years—yet now it’s drying up. Demand for water exceeds the river’s capacity and the past 20 years of megadrought have further imperiled the system. To save the Colorado River and the 40 million people who depend on it, a holistic approach and more diverse voices are needed.
In 2026, a number of important agreements governing the Colorado River are set to expire, so new agreements will be negotiated. This is a critical moment to ensure all voices are heard and that nature’s needs are accounted for alongside the needs of Native Tribes, local communities, agriculture, and industry.
This past year, Planet Women funded local and regional organizations working on gender equity, climate resilience, equitable water management, forest and river restoration, and Indigenous leadership and cultural preservation. We also continue to actively build diverse coalitions in the Colorado River Basin.
To increase visibility of what women conservation leaders and activists are accomplishing in the Basin, two undergraduate students from William & Mary's Institute for Integrative Conservation, Aayla Kastning and Anika Srikanth, collaborated with Planet Women to map a "Shescape" of the Colorado River Basin (CRB).
This inspiring StoryMap serves as a hub for organizations to learn more about each others' work. To create the Shescape, the students created a survey and conducted interviews about diversity and inclusion in the CRB water space. You can read a terrific summary of their findings (with quotes!) in the Shescape HERE.
A Shescape of women conservation leaders and activists working on issues related to the Colorado River Basin. Credit to Aayla Kastning and Anika Srikanth via ArcGIS StoryMaps.
“One of the goals of the project was to show the strides that women can make when they are well funded and heard. By highlighting all their accomplishments in one place, hopefully it gets people to realize the amazing things that women conservation leaders can do when given the opportunity.”
-Anika Srikanth, William & Mary student
The idea for a “Shescape” came from Planet Women staff member Karl Morrison and Advisory Councilmember Jamie Bechtel’s experiences in the field. While running New Course, the environmental organization that preceded Planet Women, they watched nonprofits overlook opportunities to coordinate action across the intersecting issues of conservation and gender equity for a greater impact. Karl defines a Shescape as, “an area that encompasses a distinct set of ecosystems that are an environmental priority, where gender equity and inclusion are being integrated as a fundamental component of conservation strategy, action and funding.”
Aayla Kastning and Anika Srikanth. © Aayla Kastning.
Thank you to Aayla and Anika for their work on the Colorado River Basin Shescape! And, thank you to all of the women leaders working in the basin who shared their experiences for this project. Aayla and Anika said talking to the women featured in the Shescape was a one-of-a-kind experience and their favorite part of the project.
We’re grateful you’re here! Please consider supporting our work and a global community of women leaders by making a gift below. When you make a recurring gift, you will join a thriving circle of Planet Women Ripple Members. Thank you so much.