REI grant benefits local watershed

Posted on Oct 15, 2010 Recommend Twitter

July 27, 2010

For the third straight year, California State University, Monterey Bay has received a grant from the outdoor recreation retailer REI for the Return of the Natives project.

The $15,000 grant will help to support work with school children and local teachers, CSU Monterey Bay students and community volunteers on habitat restoration projects on the Fort Ord public lands, the creeks of Salinas and Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District lands in Locke-Paddon Park and Marina Dunes Preserve.

Return of the Natives (RON) is dedicated to bringing people closer to nature and nature closer to people through hands-on experience in restoring habitats. RON, the education and outreach branch of the Watershed Institute, is housed at CSUMB.

"We're excited to be partners – on many levels – with REI," said Laura Lee Lienk, co-director of the Watershed Institute. "Their staff volunteers for our events, they publicize the work of Return of the Natives/Watershed Institute in the community, and now to be one of a very few regional grant recipients is wonderful."

REI promotes environmental stewardship and outdoor access through education, volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions. The Kent, Wash.-based company gave away $3.7 million last year to support outdoor stewardship and connect children to nature.