The Los Angeles Post

Speaker Rivas, California Volunteers Make Waves for Change: Watsonville Unites for a Wetlands-Friendly Community Climate Action Day!

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World Wetlands Day – Community Climate Action Day in Watsonville combines the forces of California Service Corps and hundreds of volunteers for a day of service 
WATSONVILLE, Calif. – Today, California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday joined Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, State Senator John Laird, Watsonville Mayor Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, California Service Corps members and hundreds of volunteers for a day of climate action, including environmental stewardship and education activities.

“Volunteers, fellows, community organizations and local and state leaders joined together today to take action against our greatest existential threat — climate change. It is a testament to the power of service to unite us and create real, lasting change,” said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday. “California will continue to organize, lead, and engage our communities in climate action because we need everyone involved.”
Caption: On World Wetlands Day, California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, State Senator John Laird, Watsonville Mayor Vanessa Quiroz-Carter join California Service Corps Members and hundreds of volunteers for climate action activities in Watsonville, CA.
California Volunteers, Office of the Governor partnered with the City of Watsonville and Watsonville Wetlands Watch to host the event at Struve Slough. During the event, California Service Corps Members and hundreds of volunteers participated in invasive plant removal and native planting. Such wetland restoration offers flood protection, as well as water filtration, wildlife habitat, and other ecosystem benefits.

“The volunteers and community groups taking action today will ensure the places we love and call home remain climate resilient for years to come,” said Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas. “This is especially important here in Watsonville and other vulnerable and underserved communities. Their service and commitment to action truly makes a difference in addressing the climate crisis, and I’m grateful to everyone for their dedication to our future generations.”
Caption: California Service Corps Members and hundreds of volunteers participate in Community Climate Action Day in Watsonville, CA for World Wetlands Day.
“Through Watsonville’s World Wetlands Day annual celebration, we unite in a shared commitment to preserve the invaluable treasure of the wetlands,” said Watsonville Mayor Vanessa Quiroz-Carter. “This gathering is a beacon of awareness, inspiring us to protect these vital ecosystems, ensuring that each celebration is not just a day of reflection but a promise to safeguard the Watsonville Wetlands for generations to come.”

Governor Gavin Newsom launched California Climate Action Corps three years ago as the nation’s first state-level climate service corps with the mission of empowering Californians to take meaningful action to protect their homes, health and communities against the harshest impacts of climate change. The program is led by California Volunteers, Office of the Governor.

“Watsonville’s World Wetlands Day annual celebration is a cornerstone event for wetlands conservation, community building, and climate action in Watsonville.   With so many people, organizations, and agencies working together, we are building a bridge toward a more climate resilient Pajaro Valley,” said Jonathan Pilch, Executive Director of the Watsonville Wetlands Watch.

For the past 14 years, Watsonville Wetlands Watch and the City of Watsonville have celebrated World Wetlands Day by inviting the community to participate in the restoration of local wetlands in the Watsonville Sloughs, one of the largest remaining freshwater marshlands in the state’s coastal zone. This area provides a crucial resting place for many species of migrating birds. Among the thousands of birds and other abundant wildlife frequenting the sloughs are a variety of rare species, including 23 native plant and animals that are listed as threatened, endangered, or of special concern.

California Service Corps is the largest service force in the nation, larger than the Peace Corps. It is administered by California Volunteers, Office of the Governor and is made up of #CaliforniansForAll College Corps, #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps, California Climate Action Corps and AmeriCorps California.

“World Wetlands Day is a call to action for residents to recognize and protect the rich biodiversity of our wetlands,” shared State Senator John Laird. “I want to thank California Climate Action Corps, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, and the City of Watsonville for hosting a Community Climate Action Day in support of climate resilience and restoration. Together we can create a more sustainable future for all.”

Learn more at CaliforniaVolunteers.ca.gov  and sign up to find a local volunteer opportunity at CaliforniansForAll.ca.gov.