The Valley Women’s Club, San Lorenzo Valley Habitat Restoration Program, and Santa Cruz County Parks are pleased to announce the return of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team this January through April 2018. The team will engage in an ongoing effort to clear invasive flora to help heal riparian habitat throughout San Lorenzo Valley, including Highlands Park (Ben Lomond), Quail Hollow Ranch (Ben Lomond), the site of the new Felton Library, the Felton Water Treatment Plant, the Boulder Creek Community Center and the Estuary Re-vegetation Project in Santa Cruz.
AmeriCorps NCCC is a national program that enlists young adults from across the country who spend ten months serving communities and developing leadership skills through direct, team-based national and community service. Their work focuses on disaster relief, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship, energy conservation, and urban and rural development.
Early in 2016, The Valley Women’s Club’s San Lorenzo Valley Habitat Restoration Program in collaboration with Santa Cruz County Parks was awarded its first grant for an AmeriCorps NCCC team of 8. Their project sites included the restoration of the Old Oak Grove at Highlands Senior Center and the removal of invasive plants, such as ivy and Himalayan blackberry, at Junction and Garrahan Parks, Santa Cruz Mountain Art Center, Mountain Community Resources, Boulder Creek Museum, and the Odd Fellows Cemetery. The removal of these invasive plants allows the native flora to recover and creates ever-widening areas of restored native habitat. The 2017 team continued to expand these margins of restoration in addition to the additional project sites listed above.
The 2018 team consists of 11 young people – ages 18 to 24 – who will be known as Team Gold 5. Donations of food, tools, and living supplies for the Team’s residence would be greatly appreciated. Given there will be 11 workers on this year’s team, the San Lorenzo Valley Habitat Restoration Program is specifically in need of gently used twin beds, linens and household items.
Contact Linda Skeff: lindaskeff@gmail.com
Please “Like” and share our Facebook page to show your support of this wonderful effort to restore riparian habitat in San Lorenzo Valley to ensure the health and beauty of the our watershed for current and future generations to enjoy: www.facebook.com/slvrestorationproject/