The section of Salem Creek to be studied is an important recreational corridor, with several city parks connected by a 5-mile greenway. Facing entrenched, chronic water pollution that impacts their drinking water and the soil in their yards and recreation areas, local residents often feel disenfranchised and stonewalled by city officials. This is a clear example of the difficulty of historically excluded communities to harness political resources and successfully advocate for
environmental justice.
Project Goals:
The ultimate goal of the project is to foster inclusive governance and planning by empowering local citizens to take a seat at the table where decisions about watershed protection take place. We will accomplish this by
- (1) using a citizen science approach to engage the community (high school to adults) in conducting water quality testing as part of a robust environmental education program and
- (2) equipping community members with data from the watershed quality testing and advocacy training so that they may engage with municipal water authorities and advocate for improvements in their water systems.
