Bronx River Clean Up


	WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY TO OFFER GRANTS FOR BRONX RIVER CLEANUP AND RESTORATION



	Debris in the Bronx River at Westchester Ny.

BRONX, NY - The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) recently announced a new initiative, the Bronx River-Bronx Zoo Grant Program, that will provide small grants to nonprofit organizations for work supporting the restoration and rejuvenation of the Bronx River ecosystem. The grants, ranging from $500 to $2,500, will fund projects that involve river cleanup and restoration, new opportunities for community enjoyment of the river and educational programs that emphasize its importance as a natural resource.

"WCS is committed to playing an active role in restoring this significant local sanctuary," said WCS Senior Vice President of Public Affairs John Calvelli. "We believe the river has unrealized potential as a peaceful haven for the community to be enjoyed by the generations of today and tomorrow."

The Bronx River system suffers from a multitude of debilitating factors that put its future in jeopardy including erosion, pollution and dumping, the invasion of non-native plants and a general lack of care. WCS believes that small community-based restoration projects can make a profound and enduring difference in the life of the river and its future potential for community use. "We believe the best way to shepherd the redevelopment of this important Bronx diamond-in-the-rough is by intimately involving local community organizations in its restoration," said Charles Vasser, Director of Community Affairs for WCS. Grants will thus support efforts by non-profit organizations in the Bronx and Westchester that share WCS's interest in local conservation and natural community enrichment.

Potential projects include: planting trees and other native vegetation along the river; adopting a section of the river to care for and maintain; monitoring the river's water quality; cleaning trash and other debris; counting bird species; conducting tours and hikes along the river and the construction and restoration of trails. Education projects are also supported, ranging from courses teaching youth and adults how the river connects our communities to grant-funded student research projects.

Proposals may be received at anytime, with active solicitation periods occurring during November and April, but the project must be completed by September of the given year (2002 is the first year). Preference will be given to proposals that involve collaboration with the Bronx Zoo. For more information about the project, please contact Charles Vasser at (718) 220-5186.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild lands. We do so through careful science, international conservation, education, and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together, these activities change individual attitudes toward nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in sustainable interaction on both a local and a global scale. WCS is committed to this work because we believe it essential to the integrity of life on Earth. To learn more about WCS, visit www.wcs.org.

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