About

The Coastal Watershed Council (CWC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was was formed in 1995 in response to the declining health of watersheds in the Monterey Bay region.

Mission Statement: To preserve and protect coastal watersheds through community stewardship, education and monitoring.

CWC advocates for the preservation and protection of coastal watersheds through the establishment of community-based watershed stewardship programs. We work in partnerships with schools, community organizations and local government agencies. CWC emphasizes hands-on learning – getting community members out into the watershed to learn about water quality, riparian and wetland ecosystems and the problems, and solutions, affecting our watersheds.

CWC programs focus on the following three areas:

• Stewardship: These activities aim to communicate what each of us can do to improve the health of local watersheds. We try to focus on the positive, and give concrete examples of what you can do today!

 

• Education:  Through a variety of school field trips, classroom presentations, water tours and free environmental films, CWC engages the community to learn more about watersheds, and how each of us impacts them. Also, CWC’s Trees To Sea Explorers Camp provides economically and socially disadvantaged youth the opportunity to learn hands-on science skills and connect to nature while having fun at summer camp.

 

• Monitoring:  CWC is well-recognized for our technical expertise in designing and implementing water quality monitoring programs. We follow SWRCB and EPA protocols and rely on these programs to tell us, local leaders and the public what’s in our water.