The final day of the 2026 Waterkeeper Alliance Global Conference took place at Mitad del Mundo, which translates to Middle of the World, just outside of Quito. Attendees explored the grounds, sampled local chocolates, and were treated to a traditional Ecuadorian lunch and dance performance.
The highlight of the day was the presentation of the 2026 Terry Backer Awards, which are nominated by peers and presented to Waterkeepers who exemplify the spirit, grit, and determination of the late Terry Backer, a legendary founder of Waterkeeper Alliance, and the original Long Island Soundkeeper.
This year’s awards were presented to Mark Mattson, former Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and founder of Swim Drink Fish in Canada, and Potomac Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks, whose jurisdiction extends from Harpers Ferry to the Chesapeake Bay, spanning communities in West Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia in the United States.
Mark was nominated by his peers, including fellow Canadian and Ottawa Riverkeeper Laura Reinsborough and Savannah Riverkeeper Tonya Bonitatibus from Georgia, United States. Laura spoke of Mark’s longstanding commitment to clean water and his fellow Waterkeepers, including helping an endangered Waterkeeper relocate from his home country to start a new life with his family in Canada. Read Mark’s Substack post, which was written as his acceptance.
Dean’s nomination was put forward by fellow Chesapeakeans Alice Volpitta, Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper, and Matt Pluta, Choptank Riverkeeper, both from Maryland, United States. Alice and Matt spoke of Dean’s 25 years of steadfast commitment to protecting clean water, including serving as a Riverkeeper for three rivers, as well as the personal impact he has had on their careers and on the careers of others throughout the Waterkeeper movement.
In accepting his award, Dean spoke of his mentor, the late Rick Dove, another legendary founder of Waterkeeper Alliance and the original Neuse Riverkeeper, who always reminded him that “you will make the right decisions if you always do what is right for the river." You can learn more about Dean and his career here.
After attendees returned to Quito for a membership meeting, they boarded a fleet of open-air tour buses for a final nighttime tour of the city’s historic Old Town. The glittering sights offered a perfect ending to an unforgettable week in Ecuador.
A special thank you to Guayllabamba Waterkeeper Patricio Chambers and his family—including his daughter, Maria Clara Chambers; his brother, Pablo Chambers, president of Guayllabamba Waterkeeper; and his niece, Ana Isabella Justicia Chambers—as well as Natalia Echeverri, for organizing this unforgettable experience and warmly welcoming us all to Ecuador.
We also wish to thank local photographer Monica Cecilia Aguilar Villamarin for documenting our adventures, and the following conference and local sponsors for helping make Patricio’s dream a reality:
