Nevada City, Calif. May 30, 2019 – The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) and California State Parks kicked off the 8th River Ambassador season this Memorial Day. Our ambassador crew welcomed more than 80 visitors to the South Yuba River State Park on Monday, May 27, at Bridgeport and Highway 49 Crossings—despite the chilly weather.
“We had a wonderful opening day and guests were happy to be received by our smiling River Ambassadors. Many visitors traveled from as far as the Bay area to enjoy a hike along the Yuba River,” says Andrea Tineo, SYRCL’s Stewardship Coordinator. She adds, “We will be here every weekend through Labor Day to ensure visitors have a positive experience and receive information about river safety and the importance of ‘packing out what you pack in.’ Please stop by our booths to say hello to our River Ambassadors.”
River Ambassadors are volunteers who donate their time to promote safe and responsible recreation at the popular river crossings throughout the summer. They approach visitors in a helpful, non-confrontational way to talk about the dangers of fire, glass, and trash and how we can all make a difference in preserving the river’s pristine beauty.
“Our River Ambassador booths aim to welcome our community and visitors to the Yuba. We are here to educate river goers and remind them to be good stewards of the river while enjoying the beaches and trails,” says Melinda Booth, SYRCL’s Executive Director. “We hope this presence demonstrates our community’s passion for protecting our stunning river. Anyone can lend a hand while visiting the river by packing out their trash during their visit—dog waste, too.”
In the past seven seasons, the River Ambassador team has spoken with more than 48,700 visitors to the South Yuba River State Park, collected 35,700 pieces of trash, and removed 4,300 piles of dog waste. Each summer, the River Ambassador program concludes with SYRCL’s Yuba River Cleanup. SYRCL invites the community to mark your calendars and join them this year on Saturday, September 21, 2019. Since 1998, the Yuba River Cleanup has picked up 233,600 pounds of trash and recycling from the river. The River Ambassador program was created in collaboration with California State Park as an extension of the Cleanup—with the goal of promoting year-round stewardship so less litter is left behind in the first place.
SYRCL has close to 40 volunteers with the River Ambassador program, but for all the incredible work they do, SYRCL still needs more volunteers to help keep the Yuba clean, safe, and healthy. To become a volunteer River Ambassador, sign up online or contact Andrea Tineo at 530-265-5961 x 212. For more information, please visit http://yubariver.org/our-work/river-ambassador-program/.
About SYRCL: The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL, pronounced “circle”), based in Nevada City, CA, is the leading voice for the protection and restoration of the Yuba River watershed. Founded in 1983 through a rural, grassroots campaign to defend the South Yuba River from proposed hydropower dams, SYRCL has developed into a vibrant community organization with over 3,500 members and volunteers. See: www.yubariver.org.