314 volunteers dedicated 9,500 hours to benefit conservation projects and efforts throughout California

DAVIS, Calif., April 8, 2011 -- USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) California State Office is celebrating National Volunteer Week, April 10-16, 2011, by thanking and honoring its Earth Team volunteers for their service to conservation.  Earth Team is NRCS's official volunteer program. Over the past 12 months, 314 volunteers dedicated approximately 9,500 hours of service to NRCS California valued at nearly $200,000.

"We are proud of the great work and dedication that our Earth Team volunteers have contributed to conserving California's natural resources over the past year," said Ed Burton, State Conservationist for California.  "We wouldn't be successful in our conservation mission if not for these volunteers, and the dozens of partner organizations we work with."  

Here are just a few of the many examples of the contributions made by California's Earth Team Volunteers over the past 12 months:

• Hundreds of volunteers dedicated their time and expertise to converting a weed-infested lot in Mariposa, Calif. into a beautiful native-plant garden, to be an educational center for local schools and residents. NRCS and the local Resource Conservation District teamed up with local citizens and community groups to re-landscape the lot with 250 native plants, many of which having American Indian-cultural significance, install drip irrigation and design the pathways to be American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant.

• In Dorris, Calif., dozens of volunteers worked with the local Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) council to help build a community center.  This 5,500-square foot building houses a community kitchen, ADA-compliant restrooms and an upstairs meeting area.  The building is quickly becoming the pride of the local community, hosting a wide assortment of public functions.  

• In Jackson, Calif., dozens of volunteers worked with the local RC&D council to add a drainage system to Dry Creek, and to provide quarterly safety monitoring of the Upper Mokelumne River watershed, to help protect local residents from potential flooding conditions and to help these residents feel safer in their homes.  

Since 1985, over a half-million Earth Team volunteers nationwide have donated 15.5 million hours to NRCS valued at $314 million.    

Anyone interested in joining the Earth Team Volunteer Program can sign up at http://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/features/volunteers.html or by calling Pam Hertzler at (209) 722-4119 Ext 128.

NRCS has provided leadership in a partnership effort to help America's private land owners and managers conserve their soil, water and other natural resources since 1935. For more information on NRCS, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov.

SOURCE USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service