Natalie Warren continues to share her story and inspire audiences to pursue their passions and build community around local waterways.
Please see below for past presentations, testimonials, and presentation descriptions. Please email anne@bancroftarnesen.com for information on availability, fees, and logistics!
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In 2011, Natalie Warren was one of the first two women to paddle 2,000 miles from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay, recreating Eric Sevareid's route from Canoeing With the Cree. On that expedition, she saw first hand issues surrounding small town economies, agriculture, industry, and the environment. After the 85-day expedition, Natalie and Ann were nominated for Canoe &Kayak's 2012 Expedition of the Year and Natalie began her public speaking career to inspire audiences to learn from their local water trails. In this presentation, Natalie accounts her journey to the Bay through environmental and social speculations, challenges on the trail, animal encounters, and heart-warming stories. She encourages listeners to turn their passion into a career and shares her adventure learning about social, economic, agricultural, and environmental issues from a canoe. Natalie starts this presentation with a song and ends with a poem!
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HUDSON BAY BOUND
"Natalie's talk was inspiring, informative, and funny. Her Hudson Bay expedition was an amazing journey, and she recounts the story eloquently. Natalie is a gifted speaker and an inspiration for anyone interested in the ways we can all benefit from getting out into the world and diving into an adventure! It's a great message for young people getting ready to head out into the world themselves."
- Jo Underhil, Augsburg Professor
YOUR COMMUNITY FROM THE PADDLER'S PERSPECTIVE
Your Community from the Paddler's Perspective focuses on integrated recreation and economy in relation to the health of our rivers and river communities. This presentation is great for groups who want to learn more about how their water way can improve their economy, i.e. city development groups, chamber groups, groups concerned with the future of our water trails, government agencies, colleges and universities, and community action groups.
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Natalie worked with the River Management Society on a compilation of economic impact studies to summarize the economic benefits of water trails. She successfully combines research and experience to tell the story of what is and what could be in our trail communities.
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"I’ve seen Natalie speak a number of times in a variety of settings and felt fortunate to get her to be the keynote speaker for the first-ever Water Trails Tourism Summit, a gathering of community representatives, paddling advocates, and businesses. I highly recommend Natalie as a speaker!"- Erik Wrede, Minnesota DNR
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Other presentations include:
THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF WATER TRAILS & MARKETING YOUR WATER TRAIL
PAST PRESENTATIONS
DNR Water Trails Tourism Summit (keynote), Izaak Walton League (keynote), American Canoe Association (keynote), North Dakota State Trails Conference (keynote), UW Madison Teaching Academy, Iowa DNR, International Trails Symposium, Friends of the Boundary Waters Brews and Canoes, River Rally 2015, Mid-American Trails and Greenways Conference, St.Olaf College, Princeton University, Student Outdoor Educators Conference, the University of Maryland, CURE Minnesota, Rotary, Lions Club, League of University Women, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Canoecopia, REI, Midwest Mountaineering, Upper Mississippi Academy, Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply, AFSA High School, University of Minnesota, Gustavus College, Coalition for a Clean Minnesota River, Girl Scouts, Camp DuNord, St. Louis River Summit, University of Wisconsin Barrens, St. Croix Falls Library, and other school groups, organizations, and paddling clubs.
