Nevada City, CA May 27, 2018 – The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) kicked off its 7th River Ambassador season this Memorial Weekend. Our smiling ambassadors and river captains welcomed more than 120 visitors to the river on Saturday, May 26, at Highway 49 Crossing, at the South Yuba River State Park. SYRCL’s River Ambassadors are teaming up with California State Parks to educate river goers to think about the environmental impact of their visit.
“We had a great opening day and guests were very receptive with our message before their day at the Yuba River. We even received wonderful ideas from our local community for additional fun eco-activities for our booth,” says Sonya Sanborn, SYRCL’s River Ambassador Captain. She adds, “We will be here every weekend this summer, so don’t forget to stop by our booths and say hello to our team.”
River Ambassadors are members of our community who donate their weekends to promote eco-friendly recreation at the popular river crossings of Purdon, Highway 49 and Bridgeport from Memorial Day through Labor Day. They approach visitors in a helpful, non-confrontational way to educate folks about the impacts we have on the river and how we can all make a difference in preserving its 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 safe and responsible while enjoying the beaches and trails along this beautiful river,” says Daniel Belshe, SYRCL’s Community Engagement Manager and newest team member. “We hope our presence shows our community is passionate about protecting our stunning natural resources. Anyone can lend a hand while visiting the river by packing out their trash and dog waste during their visit.”
In the past six seasons, the River Ambassador team has had face-to-face contact with more than 36,000 visitors to the South Yuba River State Park, collected 33,400 pieces of trash, and removed 4,200 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 15, 2018. Since 1998, the Yuba River Cleanup has picked up 218,000 pounds of trash and recycling from the river, that’s the equivalent of 54 cars. The River Ambassador program was created in collaboration with California State Park as an extension of the Cleanup—with the goal of promoting yearlong 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 Siya Phillips at 530-265-5961 x 212. Save the date for our next River Ambassador Training – Wednesday, July 11. For more information, please visit http://yubariver.org/our-work/river-ambassador-program/.
About SYRCL: The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL, pronounced “circle”) 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 based in Nevada City, CA. See: www.yubariver.org.