Saturday, June 13, 2015

Happy Stewardship Saturday!

Today, we're pleased to highlight the great work of Friends of Waterbury Reservoir ("FWRes"). 


FWRes is a Vermont non-profit organization committed to protecting, improving and enhancing the ecological, recreational, and community values of the Waterbury Reservoir. They accomplishes this through stewardship, research, community involvement, collaboration with all stakeholders, and connecting people and place. 


FWRes is one of the ACA's 2015 Club Fostered Stewardship (CFS) Grant recipients. 

The Vermont non-profit is using its CFS grant funding to conduct a project called the Waterbury Reservoir Trash Data Study. Volunteers and State Park staff are participating in trash collection and data reporting from May-October 2015. This is an ongoing, collaborative effort that provides valuable data to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources to improve the Waterbury Reservoir.


The data from this trash study will help answer the following questions: 

  • What is the actual quantity of trash found around the lake? Is the problem more or less serious than we think?
  • Is the Reservoir's water quality being effected? Is wildlife impacted?
  • Where is that trash most often found? How and when did it get there?
  • Is the trash debris being re-distributed throughout the lake due to normal water currents or high storm and wind events?
  • Are there other factors that influence the arrival, distribution, and re-distribution of trash around the Reservoir?


Through funds provided by L.L. Bean, the ACA's Club Fostered Stewardship (CFS) Program has provided nearly $130,000 to over 135 different stewardship initiatives since its inception thirteen years ago. 

Inspired to start your own local stewardship project? Apply for the CFS grant next year! Get more information here. Or just order yourself a Paddle Green Bag and take it with you the next time you hit the water! 

Stewardship Saturday is an ongoing theme of the ACA Water Blog where we we shine a spotlight on organizations and individuals who are working hard to make the world a better place to paddle. Want to be featured? Email ACA Communications Coordinator Catharine Lloyd at clloyd@americancanoe.org and tell her about the stewardship work you are doing in your local community.

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