Water defines life in Montana, shaping landscapes, economies, and local communities. Yet a legacy of intensive industry – including large-scale mining, smelting, and logging – left lasting scars on the state’s rivers and streams. Despite these enduring impacts, Montana’s waterways remain vital to fish, wildlife, and people, even as they face lingering pollution threats and new land-use and climate pressures. Missoula’s Clark Fork River stands as a powerful example of this complex history and the possibility of renewal.

Karen Knudsen recognized the environmental, economic, and cultural significance of Montana’s rivers and committed her career to restoring and protecting them. After earning a B.A. in Economics from Colorado College and a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University, Karen arrived in Missoula in 1992 at a time when the Clark Fork bore visible scars from over a century of service as an industrial workhorse. Where others saw irreversible degradation to the river, she saw the potential for recovery.

Karen joined the Clark Fork Coalition, a local nonprofit dedicated to restoring and protecting Missoula’s community waterway, and quickly became a driving force within the organization. She helped advance the Coalition’s mission in a variety of capacities before being named Executive Director in 2007. Under her leadership, the Coalition grew into one of Montana’s most influential voices for clean water, expanding its reach through policy advocacy, landmark litigation, on-the-ground restoration, and public engagement.

Many of the Clark Fork’s most significant improvements are tied to Karen’s tenure, including the nationally significant Upper Clark Fork and Milltown Reservoir cleanups. She also prioritized community partnerships and conservation collaborations, working with ranchers, tribes, local businesses, and residents to promote practices that improve river health and safeguard water quality for future generations.

After 17 years as Executive Director, Karen retired from the Clark Fork Coalition in 2024. She continues to champion the health of Montana’s rivers and streams, carrying forward a lifelong commitment to protecting the waters that define and sustain her community.

By Kali Zaglauer