It has been a summer of weather extremes super-charged by the warming of the planet from ’heat domes’ and drought to hurricanes, flash floods and fires hammering ecosystems around the world. 

The Autumn Gazette highlights Project WET activities that delve into the factors involved in restoring ecosystems and the impact human actions can have on ecosystem function and building climate resiliency in the natural systems we rely on.

In addition to the Gazette, the California Project WET program has a few other items to highlight:

• A very cool website that allows anyone to place a drop of water anywhere in the contiguous United States, then ride with it on a visual journey to the ocean or closed basin where the watershed ends — naming each watershed traveled through on the way. A wonderful tool to use with Project WET’s ‘Seeing Watersheds’ or ‘Blue River’ activities!
• For educators in the Sacramento area, the Sacramento County Stormwater Quality Program is offering grants of up to $2,500 to support creative projects protecting, restoring or enhancing creeks, riparian corridors, watersheds and rivers within the unincorporated urban areas of Sacramento County. Grant proposals are due by Oct. 12, 2021.  

Finally, keep an eye out for new Project WET workshops and special events as we move through fall into winter. We are watching the COVID-19 virus conditions like everyone else and will be offering virtual workshops this fall with plans for hybrid and full in person experiences as soon as it is safe to do so again. - Brian