Welcome Watershed Heroes!  We have called you for an important mission: to protect and serve your watershed.  That's what Coastkeeper's WHALES program is all about. Now you might be wondering, what does WHALES even mean?  Well I'll tell you, it's an acronym that stands for: Watershed Heroes: Actions Linking Education to Stewardship.  Whew, that's a mouthful!  Let's break WHALES down together:

Watershed "The total land area that contributes water to a river, stream, or other body of water. The area of land that drains water, sediment, and dissolved materials to a common outlet."

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, depends on their watershed for survival.  I'm not just talking about you and me, I'm talking about every living thing from plankton to sea lions and from sage brush to oak trees. All that lives in our watershed depends on its healthy functioning to live and to thrive. 

Hero "Someone admired for their achievements and noble qualities.  One that shows great courage"

When you think of heroes, you might picture Batman, Superman, or Captain Planet, but you doesn't need to have super powers to be a Hero.  You just need to have the will to learn, train, and protect.  And Coastkeeper is counting on YOU to be Watershed Heroes in your community, today and in the future.

Action "The accomplishment of a thing usually over a period of time, in stages, or with the possibility of repetition."

At Coastkeeper we believe that the only way you can truly become a Watershed Hero is by training in your own watershed.  Reading books and taking tests can only take you so far.  By getting out of you classroom and participating in projects to improve the health of you watershed, you will be a fully prepared Watershed Hero.

Linking "Becoming connected"

Studying the environment is all about connections.  An action happening in one place always has an impact somewhere else.  In this program we are trying to connect the things you learn in school with your everyday life, now and as you continue as an adult.  Maybe you will choose to act differently because of a lesson learned with WHALES.

Education "The process of gaining knowledge and development through methods of teaching and learning."

 When you hear the word education, words like testing, grades, SATs and lectures may come to mind (eek!).  And it's true, education is in part about learning specific facts and concepts.  To become a watershed hero, you need to have a background knowledge and understanding of what you are protecting and why.  However, Coastkeeper is most interested in education as a way of challenging you to think in new ways, come up with exciting projects and ideas, and be confident to share them with others.

Stewardship " The conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care."

Here's where the big connection all comes together: through the actions on field outings and education about our watershed, we hope that you will continue to a steward of your natural environment.  This can range from changing your everyday habits to volunteering in your community or actually pursuing a degree or career in a field of watershed management.