COASTAL WATERSHED COUNCIL

THE COASTAL WATERSHED COUNCIL (CWC), A 501(C)(3) PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, WAS FORMED IN 1995 IN RESPONSE TO THE DECLINING HEALTH OF WATERSHEDS CONNECTED TO THE MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY. CWCS MISSION IS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT COASTAL WATERSHEDS THROUGH STEWARDSHIP, EDUCATION AND MONITORING. OVER THE PAST 20+ YEARS, CWC HAS EDUCATED THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND TRAINED THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS TO PROTECT THE NATURAL RESOURCES ALONG CALIFORNIAS CENTRAL COAST. TODAY, CWC IS USING THIS EXPERTISE TO REVITALIZE THE SAN LORENZO RIVER IN SANTA CRUZ, CA, BY INSPIRING PEOPLE TO EXPLORE, ENHANCE AND PROTECT IT.IN ITS 2023-2024 FISCAL YEAR, CWC ACHIEVED ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:COMPLETED FIVE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS TO UPLIFT NATIVE RIVER SPECIES AND CONNECTION TO THE SAN LORENZO RIVERIMPROVED EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IN RIVER-ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS TO RESPOND TO FLOODING AND CLIMATE IMPACTS DEEPENING COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ TO ENSURE A SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE RIVERWALK PARKEDUCATED 1318 YOUTH THROUGH THE WATERSHED RANGERS PROGRAM, WHERE THEY LEARNED ABOUT AND TOOK ACTION TO HELP THEIR RIVERTAUGHT 239 LESSONS ACROSS THE SCHOOL YEAR AT 11 SCHOOLS WITH 40 TEACHERS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 7TH GRADES, INCLUDING LEADING 1443 YOUTH ON FIELD TRIPS TO THE LOWER SAN LORENZO RIVERREACHED MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES THROUGH EVENTS LIKE FIESTA DE LOS ARTESRECRUITED 543 VOLUNTEERS TO HELP INCREASE BIODIVERSITY BY REMOVING 853 SQUARE FEET OF HIGHLY INVASIVE SPECIES AND PLANTING 450 NEW NATIVE PLANTS COMPRISING 8 UNIQUE SPECIES.CONTINUED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNTOWN STREETS TEAM TO TRAIN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN RIVER RESTORATION TECHNIQUES AT THE SAN LORENZO RIVER.