EarthShare California and the American River Conservancy
The American River Conservancy (ARC), founded in 1989, protects and enhances natural habitats in the American and Cosumnes River watersheds. ARC is located in the Marshall Gold State Park in the Nature Center, and serves as a provider of quality hands-on experiential education for schools in Sacramento, El Dorado County and surrounding communities. One of the school programs, PEER (Protection, Education, Ecological Restoration), balances science-based field work with structured classroom learning. The field study program focuses on five key areas:
- protecting riparian habitats
- encouraging biodiversity
- controlling noxious weeds
- instituting and involving volunteers in an active monitoring program
- supporting environmental education activities
Cronan Ranch, one of the Conservancy’s acquisitions, was once part of a farm roamed by livestock, its native oaks were removed long ago and non-native plants have invaded the landscape. Students in the PEER program work to restore the land to its natural state by removing invasive, non-native plants and in the process provide an opportunity for native oak seedlings to flourish. Students walk away from this program with new knowledge of their environment and its resources, and a new perspective on conservation.
EarthShare California provides a simple way to support the most respected environmental and conservation organizations. The support and contributions of Kaiser employees and physicians, to the Kaiser Permanente Community Giving Campaign, allows for direct action to keep our families healthy, to slow global warming, to preserve land and special places for wildlife and people, to promote “green” communities and education and clean up our planet. Contributions allow ESCA’s member organizations, such as The American River Conservancy, to provide valuable programs and services, in addition to protecting over 10,000 acres for fisheries, wildlife habitat and recreation lands for us and future generations to enjoy.
