Hear how Kohler’s canoeing trip of 1900 miles in 2021 turned into a passion for river conservation.

Hank Kohler spent his childhood summers at the lakes in Ottertail County, Minnesota, where he developed a deep appreciation for water, trees, birds, and fish. In 1979, he took a 70-day canoe trip north on the Mississippi from a Minnesota lake to Hudson Bay, reaching as far north as possible to catch a glimpse of a polar bear.

In 2021, starting from the same lake, Kohler and some friends traveled south down the Mississippi in a canoe. Kohler posted daily online updates about his experience- using this journey to spread a message about conservation efforts. Several individuals who followed Kohler urged him to write a book about the adventure that would describe the reasons behind the endeavor and what it was like, mile after mile. After sixty-four days and 1900 miles of paddling, Kohler arrived at the Gulf of Mexico and a year later he published One4Water: Paddling North to Polar Bears and South to Alligators.

Through donations and book sales, One4Water has raised tens of thousands of dollars to help fund youth conservation programs at The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque. Kohler will talk about the history behind his trips, the mission of One4Water, and the ripple effect the donations have had, he will then explain how the book came to be and briefly discuss his thoughts on our planet’s future before answering questions.