A Sacramento Valley project that trains young people in real-life conservation skills while at the same time improving wildlife habitat will receive a boost from a new TogetherGreen national innovation grant. Audubon California has partnered with the Center for Land-Based Learning’s Student and Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship (SLEWS) program to get teens out on the land to learn hands-on skills that will inspire them to future careers in conservation. “Everyone benefits so much from a program like this – from the students who learn skills to the landowners who see how their land can better support wildlife to the surrounding communities that see the tremendous benefits of conservation in the beauty around them,” said Vance Russell, director of Audubon California’s Landowner Stewardship Program.

The grant for the SLEWS program is one of 48 newly-announced TogetherGreen innovation grants awarded to Audubon organizations that demonstrated exceptional innovation in working with community groups on projects that will produce tangible benefits for environmental quality.

The nearly $25,000 grant will allow for more students from underserved communities in the Sacramento Valley to participate in the restoration of habitat around waterways and oak woodlands in the Dry Creek watershed. Restoration of this area will not only make these areas better for native wildlife, but it will also reduce the amount of sediment flowing from Dry Creek to the Sacramento River.

Student activities will include collecting seeds, building and installing bird boxes, and removing invasive species to encourage more biodiversity in the area. Audubon California will also continue to educate and engage landowners in making informed choices about the species they plant. Special emphasis will be given to native, water-efficient, and struggling Californian plant species, which will in turn serve as important habitat for wildlife of all kinds.

While the habitat restoration is important to the project’s success, Audubon California also hopes the students have a meaningful and positive experience that puts them on a path of lifelong learning and leadership in a conservation field.

“The young people who take part in this program really come away feeling as though they’ve done something for the environment, while also doing something for themselves,” said Nina Suzuki SLEWS program director of the Center for Land-Based Learning. “Partnering with Audubon California on this has really allowed us to make a difference in people’s lives.”

The California innovation grant is part of $1.4 million awarded by the TogetherGreen initiative this year. Audubon and Toyota launched the five-year TogetherGreen initiative in 2008 to fund conservation projects, train environmental leaders, and offer volunteer opportunities that significantly benefit the environment. Grantees were selected from scores of applicants across America. Funds were awarded to Audubon organizations that demonstrated exceptional innovation in working with other groups on projects that will produce tangible benefits for environmental quality.

“This project has amazing potential to make a difference for the students in California’s Central Valley and for the environment, and we’re thrilled that TogetherGreen can help it to continue on for another successful year,” added TogetherGreen Project Manager Judy Braus.