Aerial photo from a 2014 report by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board showing contamination of streams that feed the Smith River estuary after running through Easter lily fields. Four of these six sample sites turned up “acute (and) chronic reproductive toxicity.”
Often a non-profit organization will put out a fundraising plea asking supporters to “match” a certain major contribution. It’s usually wishful thinking. After Siskiyou Land Conservancy received a $25,000 grant from the San Francisco-based Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, late last year, for our work to reduce pesticide use at the Smith River estuary, we wrote in our annual mailer, “With this mailing we are hoping you can help us to match the Goldman grant to ensure that our campaign to protect the Smith River estuary can thrive during the coming year.”
Imagine our shock and delight when our 2014 winter mailer brought in $25,150! Wow. We are honored and amazed.
We don’t normally talk about money. To us, funding is a tool that allows us to do our work. There is almost never enough of it, and we appreciate every dollar. But the unprecedented response from our supporters to protect the Smith River estuary from agricultural toxins deserves notice. We hear you, and we’re on it. 2015 will be the year of pesticide reduction. No, it’s not guaranteed, but there’s a far greater chance of it now than there was one month ago, thanks to you.
If you would like to be on our snail mail or email list please send your information to: SiskiyouLand@gmail.com. Thanks!
