We hope that our new look will help you find the information that you’re looking for. If you live in the South Santiam watershed, or if it’s a special place to you regardless of where you call home, we are here to help you become even more invested in the watershed than you already are.
What brings you here? Information and resources are arranged by how we might meet you, whether you’re a landowner, partner, interested community member, or potential volunteer! As you browse through the website and learn more about what makes a healthy watershed, you may find that you know of a place that could use a little love. Maybe it’s a neighborhood stream that needs some more shade to be healthy for fish again. Maybe it’s a huge patch of blackberries along the river where a vibrant community of plants used to grow. Let us know what you see in your watershed!
But what is a watershed council? Councils often serve as a bridge between agencies, organizations and community members or landowners. Sometimes, we like to think that we’re the glue in a project, or at least really big magnets! What’s most important, however, is that the council fills a role that best suits the community they serve. Here in the South Santiam, a big part of what we do is education and outreach, focused on working with students from local schools to provide outdoor, place-based, experiential learning. Watershed council staff are also great folks to talk to if you have an idea to help make the watershed better off for people, fish or wildlife.
As non-governmental, non-regulatory organizations, we can provide technical assistance and make recommendations for conservation and restoration projects. We can often help landowners secure funding for those projects, and we’re usually pretty good at connecting people with experts for more complex projects. Watershed councils are funded by a combination of state, federal and private grants, donors and, occasionally, contracts.
We need you! The South Santiam watershed provides cool, clean water and habitat for wildlife, fish and people. The watershed council is here to help make sure that it stays that way, but to be successful in fulfilling our mission, we need you. You know your watershed and by the time you explore our website, hopefully you’ll have a good sense of why caring for your watershed is important, and how you can help.
