We are delighted to announce our June Change for Good partner, Stream Smart, a remarkable local organization dedicated to improving the health of our streams and rivers. 

What is Stream Smart?

Stream Smart is an educational campaign that empowers individuals to make environmentally conscious choices to protect and enhance our local waterways. Their mission is to increase awareness of how our daily habits impact our streams and rivers. By making simple changes at home—like picking up after pets, using porous materials in landscaping, and planting trees to restore riparian areas—we can all contribute to turning our streams from brown to blue.

Rogue Basin Salmon Watch Program: A Highlight of Success

One of Stream Smart's shining achievements is the Rogue Basin Salmon Watch program. This program has reached nearly 2,000 students and hosted 34 field days during the 2023-2024 season. It provides students with hands-on learning experiences about watershed health, water quality, and the importance of riparian areas. Students gain insights from local experts, including fish biologists, hydrologists, and botanists, who generously share their knowledge during these field trips. Best of all, this program is offered at no cost to schools, thanks to the generous support of numerous funders, partners, and volunteers.

Community Involvement: Making a Difference Together

Stream Smart also thrives on community involvement. Every spring and fall, hundreds of volunteers join forces to clean up local waterways, remove invasive species, and plant native trees and shrubs. These efforts not only enhance the beauty and health of our creeks and rivers but also provide essential habitats for a variety of aquatic plants and animals. The program supplies everything needed for these events, from tools and gloves to snacks and educational materials, ensuring that volunteers can focus on making a positive impact.

Recent Events: Celebrating Community Efforts

On April 20th, 2024, Stream Smart collaborated with the Bear Creek Stewards for the Bear Creek Stewardship Day, a biannual event in honor of Earth Day and National Public Lands Day. Over 100 volunteers gathered along the Bear Creek Greenway to remove several tons of trash, plant native species, weed pollinator gardens, and install bird nesting boxes. This massive effort spanned from Central Point to Ashland and significantly benefited both Bear Creek and its surrounding areas.

Similarly, on May 18th, the 32nd Annual Rogue River Cleanup and Let’s Pull Together Weed Pull saw over 150 participants come together to pick up trash, pull invasive weeds, and inventory aquatic invasive species along the Rogue River. This event not only cleaned up the river but also fostered a stronger sense of community and stewardship among participants.

Long-term Commitment: Adopt-A-River and Beyond

Stream Smart’s commitment to our waterways is unwavering. As part of SOLVE’s Adopt-A-River program, they have adopted a section of the Rogue River near Hog Creek County Park. This initiative has expanded their educational outreach and volunteer opportunities. From trail building to installing pollinator gardens, controlling invasive weeds, and setting up educational signs, Stream Smart continues to make a lasting impact.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, Stream Smart adopted a section of the Bear Creek Greenway and Riparian Corridor. Collaborating with various partners, they have restored the area affected by the 2018 Peninger fire, installed educational signs, hosted events, and planted native species to revive the ecosystem.

Join Us in Supporting Stream Smart

We at the Ashland Food Co-op are incredibly proud to support Stream Smart through our Change for Good program. Your contributions, simply by rounding up your purchase, directly support the amazing work Stream Smart does in our community. To learn more about Stream Smart or to get involved, visit their website at www.stream-smart.com or email them at [email protected].

Together, let's continue to make positive changes for our streams, rivers, and the entire Rogue Basin. Thank you for your generosity and support!