Ian Walker, California Department of Health Services
An Appeal and Thank You to the Watershed Community
From Board Member Ian Walker
If I may, I'd like a moment of your time.
Has this past year been as much a wild ride for you as it has been for me? It has been quite a challenge to fulfill a promise I made myself: to make a positive difference in the world. Luckily, as a Board member of The Watershed Project, I've had the opportunity to work with others to fulfill this promise. With The Watershed Project, I've helped turn economic uncertainties into opportunities, continued our award-winning programming, and developed new programs and projects.
I'm writing to ask you to join me in supporting The Watershed Project's great work. In the face of countless national and international environmental issues, I always remember the saying, "Think Global, Act Local." The Watershed Project has shown me exactly why acting locally is crucial, and that's why I'm asking for your help.
The Watershed Project uses every single dollar you give to positively impact our Bay Area communities. With the help of supporters like you, we've been able to accomplish a lot. This year alone, we've:
- Removed 12,000 lbs of trash from our creeks and shoreline
- Engaged 2,854 volunteers
- Cleared 4 acres of invasive plants
- Planted 3 native habitat gardens
- Conducted classroom workshops for 279 teachers & 750 students
- Delivered after-school creek programs to 86 elementary and middle school students
- Hosted 240 students on field trips to Stege Marsh
- Delivered workshops to 606 home gardeners
- Involved 386 middle and high school students in service learning stewardship projects
- Provided capacity building services to 6 creek groups and stewardship grants to 11 more
On top of all of that, we started three new programs this year:
- Oysters on the Half Shell-- engaging students, scientists, and volunteers in an historic effort to restore eelgrass and native oysters to San Francisco Bay.
- Richmond Greenway Dry Creek-- uniting students, volunteers, and the Richmond community in the creation of a bioswale and native plant garden that demonstrates how working with nature can remove pollutants and reduce storm runoff into the Bay.
- Green Academy Youth Employment Program-- providing summer employment to at-risk Richmond youth who learn about sustainable agriculture, and basic principles of creek and shoreline restoration.
We need your help to keep providing this array of watershed awareness and action programs. The topsy-turvy economy has reduced the ability of local government and foundations to support programs like ours and we need your help! Please join me in supporting The Watershed Project. You can make a donation online by clicking here. Act locally to benefit our watersheds today.
Thank you for your continued (and past) support; we couldn't do it without you!
Ian Walker
Playwright, Environmental Health Educator, and Watershed Project Board member
