Watershed Rangers wave goodbye to the San Lorenzo River at the end of a CWC field trip
If you’ve ever fallen in love with a special someone, there are some telltale signs you may recognize: The way your eyes widen when you see them from afar, the smile and giggles that you may try to hold back but can’t, the unforgettable sensation of their touch. When CWC’s Watershed Rangers students visit the San Lorenzo River it isn’t a romantic type of love, but all of the telltale signs are there.
Along the banks of the San Lorenzo River, students’ eyes get so wide you can see the river’s reflection in them. When Watershed Rangers watch a steelhead trout swimming by, their smiles are so big you can count how many baby teeth they’ve lost. Their giggles and squeals of excitement can’t be held back as they pick up ladybugs and worms while planting native species along the San Lorenzo River during a Youth River Health Day habitat enhancement field trip. Dipping their hands into the cool, clear, flowing water or donning waterproof waders and stepping into the San Lorenzo River brings either the most peaceful silence or the most raucous cacophony, usually the latter. To our youth, the touch of our San Lorenzo River is unforgettable.
Maybe you’ve fallen in love because of the beauty you see in your special someone, or maybe it’s how consistent and supportive they are. Our San Lorenzo River checks these boxes for the hundreds upon hundreds of Watershed Rangers who explore and study along its banks.
For most Watershed Rangers the beauty of colorful stones, birds, and native wildflowers along the San Lorenzo River is unparalleled, especially when compared to campus blacktops, classroom carpets, and the backs of school bus seats. Outlasting fashion trends and viral videos, the San Lorenzo River is the most consistent thing you will find in ever-evolving Santa Cruz. Upon learning that most of our drinking water comes from the San Lorenzo River Watershed, it becomes clear to students how much support the river provides to all of us and how important it is to protect it.
The Coastal Watershed Council will continue to bring thousands of Santa Cruz County youth to the San Lorenzo River. The eyes of these young Watershed Rangers will continue to widen in its beauty, their smiles and giggles will continue to flow. One may be too young to fall in romantic love, perhaps, but never too young to fall in love with the San Lorenzo River. You can be a part of this love story by sponsoring the participation of one Watershed Ranger through a gift of $85 today.