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News ReleasesWalmart Associates, Student Volunteers and the Johnson Creek Watershed Council Join in Restoring Johnson Creek in Support of The Freshwater Trust’s Stream Restoration EffortsThe Walmart Foundation will award a $25,000 grant to The Freshwater Trust in support of its StreamBank Program Gresham, Ore. (Feb. 17, 2010) – Wood Village Walmart associates will join Sam Barlow High School student volunteers, Johnson Creek Watershed Council members and The Freshwater Trust representatives to help restore Johnson Creek southeast of Gresham on Saturday, Feb. 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the event, the Walmart Foundation will present The Freshwater Trust with a $25,000 grant in support of its StreamBank program at 11 a.m. The Johnson Creek restoration project, supported by the Walmart Foundation grant, is implemented through a partnership between The Freshwater Trust, Johnson Creek Watershed Council, five private landowners along Johnson Creek and Sam Barlow High School. Volunteers will plant more than 200 native plants along the creek to improve water quality and fish habitat. The creek’s bank was cleared of invasive species during previous volunteer efforts, in preparation for the planting. In total, the project will restore 6.9 acres of streamside habitat. “The Walmart Foundation is proud to make the greatest impact on our communities by supporting causes that are important to our customers in their own neighborhoods,” said Jennifer Spall, Walmart senior manager, public affairs and government relations. “It’s wonderful to work alongside community partners dedicated to protecting the environment. The Freshwater Trust’s StreamBank program is an innovative approach in restoring freshwater health.” Developed by The Freshwater Trust, StreamBank is a web tool that accelerates stream restoration on private lands in Oregon. StreamBank enables landowners and restoration professionals to efficiently permit and fund a restoration project. “Using the Web to streamline processes is not a new concept. With the help from the Walmart Foundation, The Freshwater Trust has been able to apply this technology to improve on-the-ground restoration work,” said Joe Whitworth, president of The Freshwater Trust. “StreamBank automates a highly repetitive process to simplify every step of restoration work without sacrificing project quality.” The Johnson Creek project is one of 23 pilot projects implemented by The Freshwater Trust to test StreamBank. To date, project timelines have been reduced by up to 70 percent versus traditional granting and funding methods. Directions to the Johnson Creek Restoration Site: The site is located north of the SE Orient Drive and SE 307th Ave/SE Clark Road intersection. From Portland, Gresham or Wood Village, take Highway 26 east through downtown Gresham. Continue on SE Powell Valley Road for .3 miles, then turn right onto SE 257th Drive/SE Kane Road. After .3 mile, continue on SE Orient Drive for 2.7 miles, then make a slight right to stay on Orient for another .6 miles. Make a sharp left onto SE 307th Avenue/Clark Road. Parking will be along the street where Johnson Creek crosses 307th Avenue. About Philanthropy at Walmart Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. Through its philanthropic programs and partnerships, the Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on creating opportunities in education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness. From February 1, 2008 through January 31, 2009, Walmart – and its domestic and international foundations – gave more than $423 million in cash and in-kind gifts globally. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org. About Freshwater Trust The Freshwater Trust is a statewide not-for-profit organization headquartered in Portland, Oregon with satellite offices in Bend and Corvallis. The Freshwater Trust takes an integrated, innovative approach to restoring freshwater ecosystems – from restoring a river’s architecture to working with landowners to keep more water in streams to educating children on the importance of freshwater conservation. For more information, visit www.thefreshwatertrust.org.
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