[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15031]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WATSONVILLE WETLANDS WATCH

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 19, 2012

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the 20th 
Anniversary of the Watsonville Wetlands Watch, which is a remarkable 
community organization in my district. Dedicated to the protection, 
restoration, and appreciation of the wetlands of the Pajaro Valley, 
this group engages members of the Watsonville community and students of 
the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, drawing public attention to 
the rich uplands and dependant area wildlife.
  Fed by the waters of the Pajaro Valley watershed, and linked together 
by nine species of fish and 250 species of birds, including many that 
are threatened or endangered, the six Sloughs of the Watsonville slough 
system form one of the largest remaining freshwater marshlands in the 
state's coastal zone. These Sloughs provide nursing grounds for fish 
and wildlife. Aquatic plants filter out impurities in the water, 
sequester carbon dioxide, and provide a buffer from land to sea--
protecting water quality from impacts of soil erosion and protecting 
the land from the impacts of flooding. They also provide recreational 
opportunities.
  Through the coordinated efforts of the Watsonville Wetlands Watch, 
hundreds of docents and volunteers are involved in greenhouse native 
plant production and actively involved restoration work, attending 
regular monthly ``Restoration Day'' events. Through these efforts, and 
in collaboration with the city of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley 
Unified School District, Watsonville Wetlands Watch has supported a 
deep connection between the community of the Pajaro Valley and a 
healthy environment and watershed. Over the past 20 years, the 
Watsonville Wetlands Watch has grown from a small all-volunteer group 
doing slough cleanups, into the dynamic organization which we have 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud the many accomplishments of the Watsonville 
Wetlands Watch, and I am proud to be associated with this vital work.

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