Important Announcement about the Watershed Alliance of SW Washington's Future
Guest post from Sunrise O’Mahoney - Executive Director - Watershed Alliance of SW Washington
It is with a heavy heart that I share some difficult news.
Over the past sixteen years, the Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington has been working to empower community members to protect and restore Southwest Washington’s waterways and natural areas. Since the beginning, the City of Vancouver has been a key partner in supporting our core programs including tree plantings, beach cleanups, our annual film series, and our neighborhood grant program. This support has helped us grow from a small organization into a county-wide force for environmental stewardship.
We are grateful for the years of partnership with the City of Vancouver. Together, we have accomplished so much for our community. While we have been able to expand our work into all of Clark County, the majority of our work has been with the City of Vancouver. Specifically in Vancouver, we have:
Planted approximately 112,000 native trees and shrubs along Burnt Bridge Creek
Prevented over 5,000 pounds of litter from entering the Columbia River
Engaged more than 11,000 volunteers
Completed 418 Backyard Habitat Certification Program site visits, resulting in 111 certifications
Hosted a yearly environmental film series that brought in 4,100 participants
Distributed approximately $200,000 in micro-community grants to empower local action
The City of Vancouver is facing a significant budget deficit for 2025 and as a result, they do not plan to support the Watershed Alliance’s delivery of these key programs. They are currently proposing the non-renewal of our contract effective January 1st, 2025. The decision will be finalized in November. The City Manager’s recommended budget will be published on October 1 with the operating budget workshop scheduled on October 14. A full schedule of the budget process is available at the City of Vancouver budget website.
The loss of this funding would represent a significant challenge to the future of the Watershed Alliance. While we look ahead at what this means for our ability to continue operating and working to serve the County, know that we are looking to secure new opportunities that will enable us to continue our mission. I am deeply grateful for the contracts and partnerships that continue to sustain our work. Additionally, we are actively seeking new sites for planting, exploring new contracts, and applying for grants to bridge the gaps we are now facing. If you have ideas for sites or projects that might benefit from volunteer restoration events, please let me know at sunrise@thewatershedalliance.org!
Thank you for being a part of this journey. Your volunteer support, your donations, and your belief in the value of keeping our watersheds healthy for current and future generations means everything to us. We will continue to work hard for our environment and I hope we can count on your continued partnership as we navigate these challenges.
With gratitude,
Sunrise O’Mahoney
