Our California employees are volunteering for the 29th River Rally Cleanup and Environmental Expo, coming up on September 21st. We’ve become curious about the river… what is so special about this river that 1,200 people come out every year to take care of it? The River Rally is our Climate Action… where our California AMS employees show up and show love! So, let’s look at the river!
The Santa Clara River
We went to the US Fish and Wildlife Service [LINK] for some information on this river:
“Southern California rivers are not known for their abundance of water flow. Yet, when the rains do come, the rivers can swell in dramatic fashion. Attempts to tame inconstant rivers have resulted in channelized, dammed or leveed waterways that resemble concrete canals more than Instagram-worthy landscapes. But one wild river remains: the Santa Clara River.”
The article goes on to talk about the river, how it behaves during dry months, how important it is to wildlife and to agriculture as well.
“In dry months, many areas of the Santa Clara River flow completely underground. Despite this lack of water, much of the Santa Clara River is alive with riparian trees and shrubs like willows, fragrant mule fat and native pollinators like buckwheat. These provide habitat for local birds that feed on the bugs zipping through the air or crawling along the sandy river bottom. Eleven federally listed species, and several species with dwindling population numbers, rely on the Santa Clara River as a food and habitat source.
“That the Santa Clara remains relatively untouched by modern humans is due in no small part to a long-standing partnership of federal, state, local and non-governmental organizations who work to ensure it stays that way.”
The Importance of Preserving Agriculture
With just that small amount of information we can see why people come out every year to give attention to the riverbed and shoreline. As we learn in the article, the Fish and Wildlife services from the US and California turned the riverbed in some protected areas into a Nature Conservancy.
“Much of the conservancy’s work along the river focuses on habitat restoration through invasive species removal. Preserving farmland within the floodplain is also key to maintaining the river’s wild state. Together with the Ventura County Watershed Protection District and the Farm Bureau of Ventura County, The Nature Conservancy developed a concept that addressed the needs of farmers, the needs of wildlife and habitat in the river, and the need to control flooding.”
The River Rally Cleanup
Several days ago, Samantha Hicks, AMS’ ESG Program Manager, sent a reminder to the AMS employees about the date of the River Rally Cleanup. We will share some of that message with readers, and ask anyone who would like to be a part of the AMS team on the 21st to email Samantha and let her know you would like to join!
“Let’s take care of our environment together! This is AMS Climate Action in real-time! Join AMS and the hundreds of Santa Clarita residents in this 3-hour volunteer event, cleaning a portion of the Santa Clara riverbed north of Creekside Road! Gloves and trash bags will be provided. This is a great outdoor volunteer opportunity for families and groups. Open to all ages.
“All participants must wear closed-toe shoes and appropriate clothing for picking up debris in the riverbed and are highly encouraged to wear sun protection such as sunscreen and a hat. Volunteers should plan to bring a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated with the opportunity to visit an on-site water refill station, provided by SCV Water.
“Additionally, volunteers are encouraged to carpool, walk, ride public transportation or cycle to the event, where a FREE bike valet service will be provided by Incycle.”
Date/Time: Saturday, September 21, from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Location: William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball Complex (23780 Auto Center Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355)
“Participants should also take advantage of the Environmental Expo to explore non-profits, community groups and organizations offering tips on preserving the City’s local watershed, pollution prevention, sustainability efforts, recycling and climate action. For safety reasons, pets are not allowed at this event.”
Please contact [email protected].
More About the River
“Eleven federally listed species, and several species with dwindling population numbers, rely on the Santa Clara River as a food and habitat source. This includes other sensitive or listed species like the southwestern pond turtle, the unarmored threespine stickleback, and southern steelhead. The loss of this habitat could compromise the stability of existing populations and the ability to recover already tenuous populations of these species. The Nature Conservancy developed a concept that addressed the needs of farmers, the needs of wildlife and habitat in the river, and the need to control flooding.”
You are invited to join us in appreciating, respecting and cleaning up the beautiful Santa Clara River.
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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.
