Watershed Study Honored by California Water Policy Conference

December 10, 2001

The Arroyo Seco Foundation and North East Trees were awarded the “Carla Bard Advocacy Award” at the banquet of the 11^th Annual California Water Policy Conference at the Biltmore Millennium Hotel in Los Angeles last Thursday evening.  The award was presented for the Arroyo Seco Watershed Restoration Feasibility Study.

The annual banquet and awards are for: "Honoring those individuals, public and nonprofit agencies and private companies who have undertaken extraordinary efforts to implement and/or promote holistic water management programs and policies"  The Carla Bard award is  dedicated to the memory of the Ojai environmental activist and public official who served on the California Water Resources Control Board.

The Arroyo Seco Watershed Restoration Feasibility Study is developing a comprehensive, long-term plan to restore the grand canyon that runs from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Los Angeles River through Pasadena, South Pasadena and Northeast Los Angeles.

Major elements of the study consider flood and stream management, habitat restoration, water resources and recreational opportunities. The watershed study, a partnership of North East Trees and the Arroyo Seco Foundation, is funded by the California Coastal Conservancy and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.  There is also participation and technical review by twelve governmental agencies with management responsibilities in the Arroyo Seco, including the US Forest Service, the three cities the Arroyo runs through and Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

Felicia Marcus, chief operating officer of the Trust for Public Land and former EPA official presented the award to Scott Wilson, founder and president of North East Trees, Tim Brick, managing director of the Arroyo Seco Foundation and Eileen Takata, project coordinator.