Thirty-five years ago, a group of fishermen noticed the salmon population along the central coast deteriorating. What started out as a project to re-introduce salmon into the ocean has evolved into an organization devoted to building the resilience of coastal watersheds.
CreekLands, formerly known as Central Coast Salmon Enhancement, works to restore and protect watersheds, provide educational resources to the community and help revive damaged ecology. This year they were the recipients of Verdin’s 24-Hour Give. Over the years, the mission of the nonprofit organization has changed and their objectives and projects have expanded. A rebrand was needed to further their communications efforts with the community and raise awareness about their important purpose. With this rebrand came a new name and logo, which better encompasses the philanthropic efforts of the organization. Verdin and our partners have set CreekLands up for success with this gift of more than $130,000 in in-kind services!
CreekLands programs include Restoration Science, Watershed Education and Access to Nature. By encouraging civilians to be active members of society through restoration and education, CreekLands programs allow individuals of all ages to make an impact in the community by improving the environment. Projects are achieved through partnerships with local landowners, government agencies, universities, other nonprofits, and private foundations.
CreekLands environmental educational programs for students are provided through local schools to engage students in exciting and fun ways. Trout in the Classroom has been offered to central coast students for more than 20 years, and lets students raise fish and release fish into local waterways. This program encourages students to understand the effects of their everyday decisions on the habitat that animals live in. Helping to mold future generations into savvy environmental stewards will help ensure the long term resilience of Central Coast watersheds.
The Central Coast stands out with its beautiful landscape and wonderful environment. Nonprofits like CreekLands work behind the scenes to keep it that way.
To learn more about CreekLands, check out the new website: creeklands.org.
