The Friends of the Chemung River Watershed is your community connection for everything related to the beautiful Chemung River, its tributaries, and the trails and grounds surrounding the river. The 45-mile-long Chemung River is at the center of regional recreation for guided paddles, fishing, riverside hikes, cross-country skiing, bird watching, nature photography, and river festivals. The clean river water makes for great outdoor recreation—drawing both locals and tourists to the area—and is the foundation for sustainable communities and healthy ecosystems. Preserving our waterways helps protect the public and environmental health of our communities, and this is at the heart of what we do. By promoting and educating the community on safe and fun recreation around the river, we improve the quality of life in the Southern Tier and help our residents to embrace their role in protecting and preserving our precious environmental resources.