Watsonville Wetlands Watch Wins National Award for Restoration Work

Watsonville Wetlands Watch has been awarded the Coastal America Partnership Award for the work of the Middle Watsonville Slough Wetlands Protection and Water Quality Partnership Team. This honor, from the federal government and Coastal America Partnership, thanks us for being part of a team of agencies that worked collaboratively for more than four years to acquire 490 acres of agricultural land and initiate numerous restoration projects within the Watsonville Slough complex. The award is the only environmental award of its kind presented by the Obama Administration.

Our restoration work helped to expand and enhance existing habitats for threatened and endangered species including the California red-legged frog and a large suite of state and federal conservation priority bird species such as Northern Harrier, Tricolored Blackbird, and Golden Eagle.

On Feb. 8, The Watch's Restoration Director Jonathan Pilch and staff from our partner agencies led a tour of US Fish and Wildlife biologists through the restoration sites. The tour ended with an award dinner and congratulations from President Obama, Congressman Farr, and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. 

The Fitz Wetland Educational Resource Center also received an award because it is the environmental hub where wetland activities take place. 

Click here to see the Santa Cruz Sentinel article. Click here for the announcement on the Coastal America Partnership webpage.