The RRVFN was formed in 1997.  The number of members has always been few, owing partly to the small population of the Rainy River District.  As a result the goals of the club have been modest, but, in spite of this, and our lack of funds, the club, with a dedicated group of members at its core, has organized and hosted the Great Lakes Odonata Society meeting in 2005, and, beginning in 2004, built and has continued to maintain the Cranberry Peatland Boardwalk, west of Fort Frances.

The club reached a crisis of sorts in the fall of 2019, when the future of the club was in some doubt. However, at a special meeting in November, the members were unanimous in wishing the club to continue, and agreed to redouble their efforts to attract new members, to hold fewer meetings, and instead, have more field trips and presentations.  To that purpose Ilka Milne organized a well-attended presentation in December about winter birds and the upcoming Christmas Bird Count.  In addition, new committees were formed, including Events, Newsletter and Cranberry Peatland committees, and a new website created.  We are looking forward with renewed focus to the exciting future of our club, the Rainy River Valley Field Naturalists.