McClinton applauds $40,000 grant to help Bartram's Garden educate young people about the need to protect the Schuylkill River

Philadelphia County Delegation    December 18, 2020 | 10:59 AM

HARRISBURG, Dec. 18 – House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton announced today that Bartram's Garden is receiving a $40,000 state grant to aid in their ongoing efforts to connect young people with the Schuylkill River.

Known as a Coastal Zone Grant, McClinton said the funding was made possible by the Department of Environmental Protection and will be used to invest in Bartram's Garden's Schuylkill River Youth Crew, which is made up of local youth who:

  • Learn about the Schuylkill watershed and river safety.
  • Study community organizing and environmental justice.
  • Lead community-driven research and data collection.

"Our young people are the future, and educating them early on in life about the importance of putting our environment first is critical in keeping our fight going to combat climate change and ensure everyone has access to clean air and water," said McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware. "I commend Bartram's Garden for creating such a great program that transforms participants into leaders with the ambition to not only protect our waterways but encourage others to do the same."

SRYC also engages in a variety of river-related activities, including kayaking, water quality monitoring and wildlife observation.

Coastal Zone Grants are awarded to projects related to fisheries, wetlands, stormwater management improvements, recreation, public education, coastal hazards such as bluff recession, and other areas. Grants may also be awarded to other projects in the watershed that have an impact on coastal waters.

More information about these grants can be found on DEP's website.