It is with deep sadness that American Climate Partners acknowledges the passing of Michael Collins, our Co-Founder and Executive Director. Mike was killed in a car accident on July 29, 2025, while assisting a stranded motorist near Ruckersville, Virginia.
Mike was known for his energy, vision and commitment to the environmental causes that he championed so passionately. His strong entrepreneurial drive led him to constantly imagine and create new forward-looking projects. The breadth of his work spanned from the conception and development of solutions for intractable problems, to the hard day-to-day work of cleaning rivers, improving soil health, and restoring habitats throughout central Virginia and beyond. He had an abiding belief in the sacredness of the planet and our responsibility to steward it to keep it alive and healthy. He also believed strongly that healing the earth would lead to healing the climate and ourselves. These motivations led him to create the programs of ACP:
StreamSweepers, which started by cleaning tires and trash out of over 80 miles the Rapidan River and now focuses on the watersheds of Southwestern Virginia that are full of tires and trash from years of coal mining, timber harvesting, and most recently, catastrophic flooding.
SoilKeepers, which started by teaching people how to manage their lawns to avoid using synthetic chemicals that pollute the rivers, moved into establishing wildlife and pollinator habitat, and most recently, has a project to improve the racecourse at James Madison’s Montpelier.
The Rapidan Fish Passage Project, which has the goal of creating a healthier free-flowing river and opening the historical spawning grounds of the Rapidan River once again to migrating fish from the Chesapeake Bay.
Southern Climate Restoration Solutions, which partners with landowners and subject matter experts on developing natural strategies to rebalance the carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles essential to life—the key drivers of the earth’s climate.
Michael Collins Obituary (1960 – 2025) – Standardsville, VA – Northern Virginia Daily
Please consider a contribution to American Climate Partners in honor of Mike and his visionary initiatives to preserve our planet.