A program for community-based watershed protection and educational services

Watersheds are an integral part of all the earth's ecosystems, the connection between the aquatic and terrestrial systems and the key component of the hydrologic-water-cycle, one of our two major life support systems.

Georgia, along with the rest of the world is presently at a major crossroads. The global freshwater crisis is one of the greatest threats to the survival of our planet. In other words, the world is in danger of running out of fresh water.

In response to this critical situation, the Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. (GCG) on April 24, 2003, instituted a new program entitled FLOW~ Forging Leadership in Our Watersheds, a program for "Community-Based Watershed Protection."

Each GCG District sponsors a creek (river, lake, or wetland) cleanup during October, in partnership with "Rivers Alive," a statewide volunteer program to clean up Georgia's 70,150 miles of waterways. These cleanups are advertised and staffed by District FLOW~ leaders working with local garden club members and volunteers.

Eventually GCG will move forward with individual watershed restoration projects; "adopting" a local creek, river, lake, or wetland; conducting watershed monitoring activities; and working with our partners to restore our urban forests and to prevent the loss of valuable farm land to future development.

Create-A-Ripple

Create-A-Ripple is a new component of the FLOW program. We know the youth of our nation will one day be the caretakers of our natural resources. During the 2005-2007 Administration, we will present programs that will enable our youth to make educated choices regarding the preservation of our watershed and water issues. We also believe that as each of us participate in this program we will be able to help educate our elected representatives thus enabling them to make decisions based on sound scientific policy.

Half-day workshops will be held in each of the Seven Districts. These workshops will provide educational projects and material which you will be asked to share within your communities. Each person has an opportunity to reach young people; perhaps by working with a Junior Garden Club, Scout group, within schools or Churches. Please encourage everyone to attend these meetings and carry this information to the youth who will be the guardians of this fragile commodity—water.

Funding for FLOW~ Program

Funding for FLOW~ is very important. In 2003, the Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. established a Restricted Endowment, the Anne Ruth White Payne Fund for Watershed Education and the Irene Christie Hauck Fund for Watershed Restoration. GCG also received a two-year grant from the Sapelo Foundation whose mission is "to promote progressive social change affecting, in particular, rural communities and the natural environment in the state of Georgia." This twenty thousand dollar ($20,000) grant to GCG will help to support the FLOW~ Program, and will be used in part to fund grants to local garden clubs who host watershed education programs in their communities.

We invite all GCG members and their friends to join us as FLOW~ creates a ripple.

For More Information

Chairman: Karen Hendrix
Advisor: Becky Champion