Announcing The 2007 Arroyo Verde Awards

Los Angeles City Councilmember Ed Reyes has been selected to receive the Arroyo Verde Award as Public Official of the Year, Arroyo Seco Foundation Managing Director Tim Brick announced.

The Arroyo Verde Awards will be presented at a Wednesday, December 12 ceremony at the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens.

Reyes is being honored for championing the Los Angeles River Revitalization Project as Chair of the Los Angeles City Council Ad Hoc River Committee, resulting in Los Angeles City Council approval of the $2 billion Master Plan for River Revitalization.

The Arroyo Seco is a major tributary of and historic link to the Los Angeles River. Its confluence with the Los Angeles River has been integrated into the Cornfields/Arroyo Seco Specific Plan, one of the initial projects of the revitalization effort.

The Arroyo Verde Awards were established in 2005 to recognize individuals, community organizations, and governmental agencies that have made a valuable contribution to protecting and improving the Arroyo Seco Watershed over the past year.

Other recipients of the 2007 Arroyo Verde Awards include:

• Best Advocacy: Peter & Elaine Adams of the California Art Club for their outstanding work in helping move forward the vision of the Arroyo Art & Environment Center;
• Greening the Arroyo - Organization: The Audubon Center at Debs Park for their continued commitment to environment education and Arroyo awareness;
• Greening the Arroyo - Agency:The Mountain Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) for their leadership in the development of the South Pasadena Arroyo Park;
• Best Volunteer: Steve Slaten of NASA for his dedicated efforts to water quality monitoring and watershed clean-up.
• Citizen Activist: Barbara Eisenstein for her ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance the South Pasadena Nature Park.
• Lifetime Achievement: Peggy Stewart for her long-time leadership in environmental, historical and cultural issues.

The awards ceremony on Wednesday, December 12th begins at 6:30 pm at the Los Angeles River Center, 570 W. Avenue 26, Los Angeles 90065 as part of the holiday meeting of the Council of Arroyo Seco Organizations (CASO).

CASO's purpose is to promote communication and cooperation among Arroyo Seco area community-based organizations to cultivate a sense of place along the Arroyo.

The Arroyo Seco Foundation is a non-governmental organization which advocates an integrated harmonious approach to watershed and flood management, water conservation, habitat enhancement as well as the expansion of recreational opportunities. For more information, visit https://www.arroyoseco.org/.

Contact: Meredith McKenzie

Meredith McKenzie (meridith@arroyoseco.org)

323-230-9749

Best Advocacy - To the individual who has made the best contribution in improving policy, programs or funding for the Arroyo.

Greening the Arroyo (Organization) - For the organization that has made the biggest difference in improving the environment in the Arroyo.

Greening the Arroyo (Agency) - To the city or governmental agency that has demonstrated outstaning leaderhip in the stewardship of the Arroyo.

Best Volunteer - To an individual who has improved the Arroyo through consistent, dedicated physical labor throughout the year.

Citizen Activist - To an individual who has shown leadership and mobilized others to improve the Arroyo.

Public Official - To an elected or appointed official or govenmental employee who has make an outstanding contribution to the protection and promotion of the Arroyo Seco.

Lifetime Achievement - This award, which is not given every year, is granted to an individual who has devoted considerable energy and enthusiasm to protecting and promoting the Arroyo over many years.