San Joaquin River Stewardship Program, Friant

Though the members of San Joaquin River Stewardship Program spend much of their time testing the San Joaquin River's water quality, studying its insects, and growing and replanting native vegetation, they also help make their prized waterway fun for visitors. They provide outdoor recreation, such as kayaking trips down calm currents during the day and at night, often teaching participants how to fish for rainbow trout and bass. They also lead nature hikes along the shore, where groups can see wildlife and native plants during bird-watching, animal-tracking, plant-identification, and scavenger-hunt excursions. Their outdoor-school programs reflect their dedication to conservation by teaching hands-on activities, exploration, and critical-thinking exercises for budding stewards. They also provide scholarships in canoe and kayak training, as well as fish crowd-control training, for visitors 10–18 years old. To get visitors of all ages interested in water and habitat conservation, they lead year-round river channel and shoreline cleanup projects on foot or in canoes.