SWRP HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENTS

SWRP was started by Saturday Academy with funds from the National Science Foundation. A core group of teachers and scientists (many of whom are still involved in the project) worked together to develop a framework whereby high school students and teachers could work directly with scientists to collect, interpret, and communicate data that would be useful to resource managers in policy decisions related to local watersheds.

Since its beginning in 1991, SWRP has trained over 180 teachers, directly impacting over 10,000 students in grades 8-12 from a variety of public and private schools. Teachers involved in SWRP activities have focused on 90 different local stream sites in 6 targeted sub basins of the Portland /Vancouver metropolitan area.

SWRP provides the opportunity for community professionals, teachers, students, and citizens to meaningfully contribute to understanding, enhancing, and maintaining the resources of the watersheds in the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area. SWRP continues to provide needed baseline data in our watersheds, while increasing the basic scientific knowledge and commitment of the next generation of watershed stewards. SWRP is committed to being a catalyst for additional cooperative projects that leverage a broad base of support for water-quality related efforts, efforts that focus on long-term public education and involvement.

In 2004, SWRP moved to the Environmental Sciences and Resources program at Portland State University.  After 12 years at Saturday Academy, the move enabled SWRP to expand it's mission to include college and adult volunteers, in addition to the high school volunteer monitors it serves.

Visitor since 12/13/06