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Friend us on Facebook!
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Hello Friends of the Coastal Watershed Council, Things are hopping at CWC! School programs are winding down, summer monitoring is ramping up, and we're looking ahead to our next fiscal year, which starts July 1. Since 1995, CWC's mission has been to preserve and protect coastal watersheds through community stewardship, education and monitoring. As we look ahead we also look back and consider how we've been able to accomplish so much since last July. It's only possible with your financial contributions and donations of volunteer time. So a big thanks to each of YOU, for being a part of this important and unique work. Keep CWC's Stewardship Toolkit in mind as you work in the yard this summer. You'll most likely be working on some yard projects anyway, so why not shape your efforts towards improving water quality at the same time. Need ideas? The Toolkit offers examples with photos and diagrams of what you can do to make a difference. This is what we mean when we say you can be a part of the solution, and we're focusing on the positive! We'd love to hear what's going on in your neighborhood, in your watershed, so drop us a line. And post your efforts on our Data & Stewardship Portal so others can be inspired by your work. Come on, brag, post something today! With all of this excitement and energy it's timely that we have another celebration planned for our deck soon. Please join us! Read on for more details.
Greg Pepping
Executive Director
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San Lorenzo Valley Schools Wrap-Up Education Programs
San Lorenzo Valley Elementary and Middle Schools have finished participating in their  first year of watershed education from the Coastal Watershed Council. The City of Santa Cruz funded these lessons with a focus on the San Lorenzo watershed. Students from kindergarten through sixth grade worked with CWC's education coordinator, Bridget Posson, over the past school year.
Along with in class and outdoor lessons, the program incorporated a BMP, or Best Management Practice, on the middle school campus. The school garden gained a 1100 gallon water tank to catch rainfall in order to irrigate the student-run garden.
Looking into next year's program, more lessons focusing on drinking water and the water treatment plant will continue educating San Lorenzo Valley students.
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City of Capitola Urban Watch Monitoring Program
 The start of summer brings the return of the City of Capitola Urban Watch Storm Drain Monitoring Program. The Urban Watch program is a citizen-based volunteer program that monitors storm drain outfalls during the dry-season for common urban pollutants like bacteria, nutrients, chlorine and detergents.
We are currrently seeking volunteers for the program and would love to have you on board! It's a great opportunity to learn about everyday impacts on water quality and what you can do to make a difference.
Contact Debie Chirco-Macdonald at djchirco@coastalws.org or (831) 464-9200 to get involved.
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Carneros Creek Winter Monitoring Concludes for the Season
 Water quality monitoring on Carneros Creek has concluded for the season. Despite our recent rains, flow has been decreasing steadily during the month of May. Several sites have become either too low or too stagnant for data collection.
Once the rains begin again in late fall/early winter we will resume monitoring for the ALBA project. In the off-season we're working on data analysis and discussing any changes for next year with our many partners on this project. Meanwhile, thank you fabulous volunteers for all of your help and we hope to have you out again next season!
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Trees to Sea Explorers Camp Returns in 2011
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Explorers & Staff kayaking the Slough
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CWC is continuing our successful Trees to Sea Explorers summer camp (piloted in 2010) again this year! The Trees to Sea Explorers Camp is a 5-day, comprehensive, summer watershed education program, serving 48 youth aged 9 to 12 years-old. The program seeks to develop students' appreciation for their local watershed resources, equip them with environmental science and leadership skills, and foster a sense of stewardship in their local watersheds. All activities are directly linked to the idea of watershed connectivity with the ocean. The 5-day program will balance science skills, hands-on learning, and recreation, covering a variety of ecosystems from the mountain redwoods to the Monterey Bay.
Activities for each week will consist of: Day 1: Watershed Overview, Upper-watershed ecology and survival skills in Boulder Creek; Day 2: Salmonid lifecycle study (The Scent Game & Salmon Survival Game), water quality monitoring, stream flow & BMI observation, and with hiking at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park; Day 3: Slough ecology at Elkhorn Slough Reserve (hiking, bird observation, plankton tow and microscope study, albatross bolus dissection); Day 4: Kayaking Elkhorn Slough (marine mammal and estuary) and a short hike in Nisene Marks with more BMI observation; Day 5: O'Neill Sea Odyssey Cruise (Marine ecology, biology & navigation). We're excited to again partner with the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz for camp this year.
We are seeking interns for camp for each session in July. If you are interested in working with youth outdoors to encourage watershed stewardship and enjoy adventure please contact Nancy @ (831) 464-9200 or njscarborough@coastalws.org.
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You are invited to attend CWC's
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION PARTY!
Please join us on the CWC Deck to enjoy food (please B.Y.O.B), camaraderie and an exciting raffle and help us thank our Amazing Watershed Volunteers!
The work we do here at CWC, monitoring water quality in creeks, streams and rivers spanning several counties, can only be done with the help of many dedicated volunteers. This is our chance to say a heartfelt THANK YOU and look back over some of our many accomplishments together. We will be seeing recent monitoring results from Snapshot Day while enjoying the lovely harbor view from our deck.
 Please join us...
DATE: FRIDAY, JUNE 24TH
TIME: 5-8 PM
OUR PLACE: CWC DECK @ 345 LAKE AVE., SANTA CRUZ
Please RSVP to Debie Chirco-Macdonald: djchirco@coastalws.org
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