WYLAND FOUNDATION

WYLAND NATIONAL MAYOR'S CHALLENGE FOR WATER CONSERVATION: A FRIENDLY COMMUNITY-BASED COMPETITION BETWEEN CITIES ACROSS THE NATION TO SEE WHO CAN BE THE MOST WATER WISE. PRESENTED NATIONALLY BY THE WYLAND FOUNDATION AND TOYOTA, WITH MAJOR SUPPORT FROM THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, THE TORO COMPANY, THE PROGRAM EXPLORES WATER ISSUES AFFECTING CITIES, STATES, AND THE NATION, ALONG WITH COMMUNITY BASED STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY. IN ITS MOST RECENT YEAR, PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, THE CAMPAIGN HAD ITS STRONGEST NATIONAL IMPACT TO DATE WITH MAYORS IN 50 STATES AND RESIDENTS FROM 3,000+ CITIES PLEDGING TO TAKE 387,000 SPECIFIC ACTIONS OVER THE NEXT YEAR TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY USE WATER IN THEIR HOMES, YARDS, AND COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONAL PROJECTS RELATED TO THIS INITIATIVE INCLUDE: NUMEROUS REGIONAL PUBLIC PARK WATERWISE DEMONSTRATION GARDEN PROJECTS AND DIGITAL BASED APPLICATIONS TO INTEGRATE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER PROJECTS INTO THE WATER CHALLENGE. WYLAND CLEAN WATER MOBILE LEARNING EXPERIENCE: THE WYLAND CLEAN WATER MOBILE LEARNING CENTER IS STATE OF THE ART, 1000 SQUARE FOOT INTERACTIVE SCIENCE EXHIBIT ON WHEELS THAT ALLOWS THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS EACH YEAR TO EXPLORE THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD'S WATER-BASED HABITATS, FROM ISSUES RELATED TO URBAN RUNOFF TO STRATEGIES FOR CONSERVATION. THE EXHIBIT INCLUDES A 40-PERSON ON-BOARD MOVIE THEATER AND SIX INTERACTIVE TOUCH-BASED LEARNING STATIONS, INCLUDING A CITY MODEL WITH ACTUAL FALLING RAIN. PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, THE CENTER TRAVELED TO OVER 30 COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING MANY LOW INCOME AREAS, FROM INNER CITIES TO FARMING COMMUNITIES, REACHING OVER 12,000 PEOPLE. NATIONAL "WATER IS LIFE" ART AND MURAL CHALLENGE: A NATIONAL COMPETITION FOR GRADES K-12 THAT CHALLENGES STUDENTS TO WORK TOGETHER ON LARGE SCALE MURAL PROJECTS ABOUT WATER-RELATED ISSUES. IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, MORE THAN 20,000 STUDENTS ACROSS 45 STATES HAVE TAKEN PART IN THIS ANNUAL CHALLENGE TO USE ART AS A METHOD OF EXPLORING THE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND AESTHETIC VALUE OF OUR OCEANS, LAKES, RIVERS, STREAMS, AND WETLANDS. ADDITIONALLY, THE WYLAND FOUNDATION AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE PROVIDED 500 CLASSROOMS WITH PAINT SUPPLIES, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, AND 50 SQUARE FOOT CANVASES MURALS TO CREATIVELY DEPICT THE MANY WAYS WATER SHAPES OUR LIVES. WATER'S EXTREME JOURNEY MAZE: A ONE-OF-A-KIND MUSEUM QUALITY EXHIBIT THAT TAKES VISITORS THROUGH THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE WATER CYCLE VIA A 1000 SQUARE FOOT MAZE INSTALLATION. THROUGH POWERFUL INTERACTIVES, VISITORS REALIZE THAT DAILY DECISIONS CAN IMMEDIATELY IMPROVE THE WATERSHED IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD. REGIONAL PROGRAMS (2): ANNUAL EARTH MONTH HEROES CELEBRATION: WYLAND FOUNDATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KCAL/KCBS AND TOYOTA CONTINUES TO HONOR INDIVIDUALS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHO ARE HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT BY MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHARITY OF THEIR CHOICE. THE CAMPAIGN IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH A MONTH-LONG SERIES OF WYLAND FOUNDATION PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS ON KCBS/KCAL PROMOTING SMART WATER USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. ART LESSONS IN THE WILD: THE WYLAND FOUNDATION AND DANA WHARF TEAM UP DURING THE WINTER GRAY WHALE MIGRATION SEASON TO OFFER WYLAND DOLPHIN AND WHALE ADVENTURES, "ART LESSONS IN THE WILD." THIS THREE-HOUR ACTIVITY ABOARD A 63' CATAMARAN INCLUDED A DOCKSIDE PRESENTATION AND ART LESSON, VIA VIDEO FEED, BY WYLAND AND AN EXCURSION AT SEA WITH AN EXPERIENCED NATURALIST.