sandra's blog

Elizabeth Cushman Titus Putnam, our amazing founder who is truly a rock star to those of us who know her, received the Citizens Medal from President Obama today at a White House ceremony -- the first conservationist ever to earn this honor. Check back here tomorrow for video clips of the event.

Please add your note of congratulations here. We'll send them to Liz later today.

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SCA applauds the passage of the Public Lands Service Corps Act (HR 1612) by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday. This important piece of legislation, which already has passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 20, 2010, would dramatically expand opportunities for young people to serve on public lands through SCA and other conservation corps’ programs. In addition to expanding youth service on public lands, the bill also provides for strengthened training, mentoring, and hiring opportunities to help young people become the next generation of conservation managers and leaders. The next step for the bill is for final passage by Congress.

by Emma Jornlin
This Thursday July 1, members of SCA Seattle’s community crews will have the opportunity to present their views on conservation, connecting people to the outdoors, and environmental justice to important government officials at an event called the America’s Great Outdoors Listening Session.

SCA interns throughout the Gulf region are scrambling to conduct wildlife mortality surveys and establish baseline data before the oil takes a larger toll on area wetlands and beaches, including at Pelican Islands National Wildlife Refuge on the eastern coast of Florida. Read more

by Emma Jornlin, SCA Seattle
As I learn more and more about the history of Earth Day, I get the feeling that Gaylord Nelson did not intend for the day to be about blackberries. Yet year after year, for the past five years of my life, Earth Day here in Seattle has always involved this prickly plant.