Marys River Watershed Council
$49,661  Willamette Valley Ecoregion  Addresses drought

MRWC is requesting OCRF funds to support an “Experience Your Watershed” Initiative focused on improving outdoor equity through community engagement in conservation education, recreation, and stewardship in Benton County, Oregon. As part of this initiative, MRWC will focus on three Conservation Opportunity Areas: Corvallis Area Forests and Balds [COA 081], Finley-Muddy Creek Area [COA 084], and Marys Peak [COA 028]. MRWC will host free science seminars to engage the general public with the key conservation issues and strategy species of three regional Conservation Opportunity Area. MRWC will encourage citizen stewardship by leading volunteer crews to remove invasive species and reduce wildfire fuels in Corvallis Area Forests and Balds [COA 081] and contribute to a restoration project enhancing over 1 mile of in-stream habitat in the Finley-Muddy Creek Area [COA 084]. In addition, MRWC seeks to enhance our existing Youth Watershed Council program for high school students, whose members will benefit from conservation-oriented education and career development, enjoy recreational opportunities, and assist with field trips for Spanish-immersion elementary school students in 2024 and 2025. Finally, MRWC will participate in environmental education and outreach events within COA 028, 084, and 081, reaching over 1500 children and adults across diverse communities.