A 2,600-year-old bald cypress tree stands quietly in North Carolina’s Three Sisters Swamp—older than the Roman Empire, untouched by time, and protected by a resurgent tribal community.

In this powerful episode, Travis Loop joins members of the Coharie Tribe on a World Water Day paddle through their ancestral waters on the Black River.

Guided by Kullen Bell and other tribal leaders, the journey reveals a deep cultural revival grounded in environmental stewardship. The conversation explores the tribe’s restoration of forgotten waterways, their discovery of a 650-year-old dugout canoe, and the creation of a paddling trail that reconnects people to place.

Bell also discusses the Great Coharie River Initiative and how community action has led to visibility, funding, and a new generation of programs.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.

Radhika Fox has spent her career at the intersection of people, policy, and infrastructure.

In a conversation from the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C., the former head of EPA's Office of Water shares how she helped lead the largest federal investment in U.S. water infrastructure, advance PFAS regulation, and expand environmental justice efforts.

Radhika reflects on her path to leading federal water policy, shaped by experience at the San Francisco PUC and the US Water Alliance. She explains how EPA launched $500 million in technical assistance to help more underserved communities access federal funding.

Radhika also discusses the creation of EPA’s first agency-wide PFAS strategy and the importance of holding polluters accountable. Plus, she shares what she’s working on now—from sector disruption and AI to impact investing and democracy renewal.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability. To help our mission, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.

Islam offers powerful guidance for enviromental stewardship - and Huda Alkaff has spent 20 years bringing those teachings to life.

As Founder of Wisconsin Green Muslims, Huda blends faith, ecology, and community action to advance water equity and climate justice. She shares how Islamic teachings inspire a sustainable lifestyle - from spiritual water practices during Ramadan to practical solutions like distributing water filters in frontline communities.

Huda also discusses expanding Green Muslims into Michigan, her model of monthly action themes, and advocacy around lead contamination and PFAS. Through a systems-thinking lens and deep sense of interconnectedness, Huda offers a compelling vision for spiritually grounded, community led environmental leadership.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is part of the Color of Water series, a collaboration with the Water Hub.