Forever Stamps 2019 Wild and Scenic Rivers – Natural Beauty Series, First-Class Postage

First Day of Issue:  May 21, 2019
First Day City:  Bend, Oregon
Printed by:  Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method:  Offset
Format:  Panes of 12

US issued 12 stamps to honor the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Each design features a different river from the system.

The First Day of Issue Ceremony was at Tumalo State Park in Bend, Oregon, with the Deschutes River running through, one of over 200 protected by the Act.

In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act into effect, preserving selected rivers with remarkable values.

Initially, eight rivers were chosen, expanding to over 200 rivers in 40 states and Puerto Rico by 2019.

Today, federal, state agencies, private landowners, and volunteers collaborate to preserve America’s rivers, keeping them free from pollutants and human-made structures. As Nebraska resident Brad Arrowsmith said, “Boundaries don’t protect rivers, people do.”