Environmental Program honored by Pierce Conservation District

The students, staff and faculty of UW Tacoma's Environmental Program were honored with the 2010 Stream Team Group of the Year award from the Pierce Conservation District on Feb. 9 at its annual awards banquet in Puyallup. Noted in the recognition were the program's on-going service learning projects at First Creek and Wapato Lake and on-going restoration efforts led by students.

At First Creek, faculty member Joyce Dinglasan-Panlilio, staff member Lia Wetzstein and student Daniel Marlowe were credited for their public outreach and education work and restoration and research efforts in partnership with First Creek Middle School, First Creek neighbors, the City of Tacoma and the Puyallup Tribe.

At Wapato Lake, faculty member Jim Gawel and students Kayomi Wada, Jennifer Guenther, Anna Sonoqui, Heather Jennings, Steve Ayers and others have organized Wake Up For Wapato public outreach and education events and worked on restoration and research efforts to improve the water quality of the lake.

The student group Project Earth, then headed by student Courtney Randazzo, was credited for its past work in organizing large restoration events along the Puyallup River and its tributaries.

The projects were funded by the Green Partnership Fund, a grant program funded by Pierce Conservation District and administered by the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, along with the Russell Family Foundation, a grant from Tacoma Make A Splash, the Center for Leadership & Social Responsibility at the Milgard School of Business and a contract with the City of Tacoma.