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Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project
Project #201501-‐104
November 6th 2014 – December 19th 2014
Novato, California
AmeriCorps National Community Civilian Corps
Gold One
AmeriCorps Pledge
I will get things done for America-‐ to make our people safer, smarter, and healthier. I will bring Americans together to strengthen our communities.
Faced with apathy, I will take action. Faced with conflict, I will seek common ground.
Faced with adversity, I will persevere. I will carry this commitment with me this year and beyond.
I am an AmeriCorps member and I will GET THINGS DONE!
Mission Statement
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps will strengthen communities and develop leaders through team-‐based national and community service.
Campus Address
Pacific Region Campus 3427 Laurel St.
McClellan Park, CA 95652
Hamilton Wetland
Restoration 1
Dedications and Acknolwedgements
Gold One would like to give thanks to the Army Corps of Engineers and to Christina McWhorter, project manager of the Hamilton Restoration Project, for providing them with the opportunity to work on this project. Gold One thoroughly enjoyed the experience of planting different species of plants and working to restore the North Bay Wetlands. Gold One would like to also thank Adam Dondzilla and Conner O’Hara-‐Baker, Christina’s assistants, for helping Gold One learn the required project tasks and for remaining patient with the team throughout the project. The leadership of Christina, Adam, and Conner helped immensely in providing a fun, comfortable, and effective work environment for Gold One. Gold One would like to thank all of the community volunteers that they worked with during their time in Novato. Their hospitality and generosity helped Gold One feel at home in their new community, and they loved the opportunity to meet members of the local community. Lastly, Gold One would like to thank the Kampground of America for their flexibility and attentiveness during their stay at the campground. The KOA was a very hospitable host, providing two potluck dinners to the team as well as attending to any immediate needs the team had. Gold One appreciated all of the help and the opportunity to stay at such an amazing campground in beautiful Petaluma, California.
Fig. 1 Mud Lovin’ Gold One, project sponsor Christina McWhorter, and her assistant, Conner O’Hara-‐Baker, end the day covered in mud.
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Table of Contents
Inside Cover…………………………………………………………………………………………..…..………...1 Dedications and Acknowledgements…………………………………….………………….…….…....2 Fig. 1 Mud Lovin’ Table of Content....…………………………………………………………………………………….…….…..3 Fig. 2 Sunshine Executive Summary……………………….……………………………………………….….……….………..4 . Body of the Portfolio Description of the Community…………………………………………………….….......................5 Detailed Project Mission and Goals..........................................................................6 Fig. 3 Diggin’ Fig. 4 Dirty Artwork Role of AmeriCorps NCCC……….................................................................................7 Fig. 5 Capping Daily Schedule...........................................................................................................8 Service Learning Summation.....................................................................................9-‐10 Project Accomplishments……………………...................................................................11 Fig. 6 The Big Picture Pluses (+) and Constructive Even Better Ifs (EBI).....................................................12 Fig. 7 Hard At Work Team Position Details Individual Team Positions……………………………………………………………………..…….……….13-‐14 ISP Details.................................................................................................................15 Fig. 8 Side Walking Appendices Team and Individual Reflections..............................................................................16-‐18 Fig. 9 Dirt and Grime Team Brochure…………………………………………………………………………………………………….19
Fig. 2 Sunshine Gold One was always greeted in the morning with beautiful and unique sunrises
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Executive Summary
Gold One had the privilege of working in Novato, California. On January 20, 1960 the city of Novato was incorporated as a general law city. The city is just 29 miles north of San Francisco and is populated with 258,365 citizens as estimated by the 2013 Census Bureau. The College of Marin serves thousands of students each year with two campuses and 60 different academic programs. The city of Novato also has The Buck Institute, which is one of the foremost non-‐profit biomedical research institutes in the world. The Institute is the first in the United States for independent research on aging and age related conditions. The city’s largest employer is the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company. The Army Corps of Engineers’ mission on this project is to advance the beneficial use of dredge material from other port deepening projects in the most environmentally friendly way. The California Coastal Conservancy has been working on wetland restoration projects surrounding the area and found this to be the most beneficial project for wetland restoration. Due to long droughts in the state, many organizations are helping the communities understand the importance of wetland ecosystems and the effects they have on the environment. The state of California also has a large amount of wildlife that is on the endanger species list and with the progress of wetland restoration those populations have increased since. Gold One had the task of helping transplant native wetland plants from the nursery into the project field. The first process in planting was to have a team of four or five members walk to a station stake and start navigating flag positions. The team would have a PVC pipe that would be laid out in a 90o angle. Then three tarps were to be laid out and flattened to the ground. Each planting square or “polygon” was placed perfectly for the scientific aspect of the project. Once the tarps were secured in the ground the team would put multi-‐colored flags in the pattern that the tarp represented. This would be done for each “quadrant” of the mapped out area. Once the area was completely flagged, the rest of Gold One would start the transplanting process. Each flag color represented a specific plant that would be transplanted from the greenhouse. Gold One would be split up into teams of four and each group would work to finish planting the designated area. After each area was completed the team would replace the designated flags with bamboo shoots for future ecologist to recognize the location of the plant. On occasion Gold One got the opportunity to take seedlings and transplant them from the greenhouse to planting containers so each plant can grow individually. These specific plants that the team helped separate will not be planted into the field until next year however so the plant can fully grow out their root systems. The City of Novato will benefit greatly from Gold One’s service in many ways from recreational to ecological. The bay trail that surrounds the planting area will be abundant with natural aromas and beautiful native plant life. This project also will help with future flood problems and drought issues as wetlands help retain water and increase the flood plain for unexpected amounts of rainfall. This project is beneficial to a more broad community because of the innovative use of dredge material. The Hamilton Wetland Restoration is the biggest wetland restoration project on the West Coast to date and many organizations and ecologist will learn and expand on such an influential project.
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Description of the Community and Organization
Novato is a small city in Northern Marin County, in the North Bay of the San Francisco Bay area. Novato was founded in 1848. With a warm climate and beautiful landscapes, Novato quickly became a place where people wanted to move. Due to this, Novato has a population of 51,904 people. The first school in Novato was built in 1859 at the corner of Grant Avenue at what is today Redwood Boulevard. Novato is also home to the College of Marin, which serves more than 13,000 students each year. Both of those locations are in or near the original town where a railroad was built in 1879 to connect it to the surrounding cities. The edge of that area is now known as Old Town Novato. Novato has a lot of attractions, such as the Sonoma Race Way and Nicasio Reservoir. The Sonoma Race Way is a 2.52-‐mile raceway that is the host to one of only two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series held each year. The Nicasio Reservoir is an artificial reservoir in Marin County. It spreads across 845 acres and was created due to the construction of the Seeger Dam in 1961. It is also considered a beautiful spot for taking photos in Novato. There are other great landmarks in Novato as well including the first post office in Novato, which was built in 1856. There is also a Presbyterian church built in 1896, which is very popular among local Novato residents. Novato has a very rural feel to it despite the large population. This is due to an abundance of open space and a dispersed population, which makes Novato a great place for parks and raising livestock. All this space includes 1600 acres around Mount Burwell. Novato is a great place to visit to get that open space feel and still be able to find fun things to do. The Hamilton restoration project is a joint project between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the California Coastal Conservancy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a U.S. Federal agency that is under the Department of Defense that contains about 36,500 civilian and military personal. It is one of the world’s largest engineering, design, and construction management agencies. They work on things such as planning and building dams, breach nourishment and dredging for waterway navigation. The California Coastal Conservancy is a state agency formed in 1976. They try to enhance coastal resources. They work to protect and to improve coastal wetlands, streams and watersheds. They also work to help people be able to view these natural attractions by building trails, campgrounds and stairways. While doing all of this, they also find ways to help solve land-‐use problems.
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Detailed Project Mission and Goals
The Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project aims to return an army airfield to its natural habitat and ecosystem of a tidal wetland. Through the work of the Army Corps of Engineers and the California Coastal Conservancy, the Hamilton Wetland Project gained funding to restore a 988-‐acre parcel of land. Elevation was returned to an appropriate height in order to allow growth. The overall goal of the project is that over time the wetlands will return to a self-‐sustaining ecosystem. AmeriCorps NCCC worked on a small section of the project called the North Seasonal Wetlands. Gold One’s objective was to complete the out planting of this area by planting 11,700 plants into the site. These plants will be monitored for years to come as part of scientific research to decide the best water level and soil salinity in order to grow specific species. The information will be used on the continuation of the Hamilton Project and other wetland restorations in the future.
Fig. 3 Diggin’ (Top, left to right) Reid Scott, Elijah Rutledge, (Bottom, left to right) Alexa Shapiro and Stefanie Landman begin work on their polygon.
Fig. 4 Dirty Artwork Team Leader, Lauren Rogers, draws on Project Sponsor, Christina McWhorter’s face with mud.
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Role of AmeriCorps NCCC
The goal of the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project is to restore a wetland using a new layout that incorporates different plant species into areas all over the wetland. The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team, Gold One, was vital to the restoration process because the project required over 11,700 plants to be planted in the wetland during a short period of time. Gold One learned the most useful planting techniques to ensure the plants were all uniformly placed in the ground. The team also removed invasive species from the worksite and cleaned the site from any debris. While the team spent most of the time in the field, some tasks were also completed in the nursery. These tasks included transplanting seedlings into separate containers and organizing the plants within the nursery. Gold One worked with other community volunteers who taught them about the importance of the project. Gold One also learned how to use hori-‐hori knives and different patterns for flagging the ground to prepare for planting. Gold One familiarized themselves with different wetland plants like pickleweed, saltgrass, cattail, alkali heath, coyote brush, gumplant, common rush and bull rush. The team worked closely with Christina McWhorter, the project sponsor, and her two employees, Connor Dondzilla and Adam O’Hara-‐Baker. Christina, Connor, and Adam were a great resource to use while in the field and the members of Gold One learned a lot from their leadership.
Fig. 5 Capping Reid Scott places mud caps on his plants to secure them in the ground.
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Daily Schedule
Monday-‐Friday Saturday Sunday
6:15 muster at the van
Day off-‐ occasional ISPs
6:15-‐7:00 drive to work
7:00-‐7:10 prepare for work at nursery
7:10-‐7:15 arrive on work site and stretch
7:15-‐9:05 plant or flag polygons
9:10-‐9:35 morning break
9:35-‐12:05 plant or flag polygons
12:05-‐12:50 lunch break
12:50-‐3:15 finish up planting or flagging
3:15-‐3:30 clean up worksite
3:30-‐4:30 drive back to camp
4:45-‐5:30 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday physical training
6:00 Monday-‐Thursday team dinner
6:00 team dinner
6:30-‐7:00 Tuesday and Thursday rep role activities
6:30-‐7:00 team meeting and room checks
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Service Learning Summation
Arrival to the project site was an easy trip, and on the first day Gold One got to meet the project sponsor Christina McWhorter. The team was very eager to learn about the project and all the work they would be doing for the next six weeks and she was very eager to let the team know. As the introduction started for the project Gold One also got to meet the Hamilton Environmental Planner Eric Jolliffe, who is the Army Corps of Engineers Consultant. With him was Tom Gandesbury, the California Coastal Conservancy Consultant on the project. During the orientation the team learned about the history of the airfield and how it has come full circle since its opening and closing. The land was once a wetland that was converted into agricultural fields before the 1930s. As World War II started they found it necessary to convert it to the Hamilton Air Force Base. It was open until 1988. In 1991 the idea to have the area converted back into a wetland was introduced, and in 1994 it was approved and planning began. During orientation Gold One got the amazing opportunity to also meet General Toy of the Army Corps of Engineers. He was very excited to meet everyone on the team. All of the consultants on the project were very eager to teach the team about how much of an impact this project truly has on the environment. The Hamilton Restoration Project is the biggest wetland restoration in the West Coast and is the most expensive project to date. An important part of the project that Christina announced is that the six weeks Gold One would be planting was during the rainy season, and the only time of year that plants can be effectively transplanted. This project is very unique to work on because it is a very new concept and all experimental. No other organization has attempted to plan, construct, and outplant a seasonal wetland. All the planting areas were predetermined by GPS and plotted by Christina before the team arrived to the project. Gold One learned that this project was much more important than they anticipated; it was all scientific study of trial and error. Each plant was planted in a specific area for future ecologists to study and watch as the plants react to the environmental changes. The ground that was becoming a seasonal wetland was dry until April 2014. After that, a small amount of water was let into the field. This gave the land enough water and time to saturate the soil for successful transplanting. The team also learned that 3.5 million cubic yards of dredged material was piped from the port of Oakland to help raise the land for the crucial success of the project. The first week Gold One learned the procedures of the future planting and the steps it takes to get the plants in the ground. The team received sheets of paper with color-‐coded patterns that represented areas called “quadrants.” In these areas, teammates would be planting specific plants arranged in a predetermined pattern. The team also got other papers with the whole layout of where they would be planting and the “polygons” that they would be working in. The polygons were mapped out on specific GPS points that were the cluster of quadrants that would be planted in. Gold One also received two documents that went over the out planting and flagging procedures they would be using throughout the project. Many members of the team had never worked with plants or Latin names so at first it was all foreign. Christina helped Gold One by showing the team the different plants and stages they would be going through before transplanting in the field. Within the first few days, the team was in the field learning how to correctly map out polygons and then start to layout quadrants for planting patterns. Christina taught how to correctly dig the holes deep enough for the plants and to dig on the west side of the planting flags. The biggest challenge for some team members
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was to bury the plants under about a half-‐inch of soil and compact it down so water would not erode the plant away. Gold One knew they had to learn fast and prove to Christina that working with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps was a good decision. After planting a practice area, Christina was impressed with how well the team paid attention and effectively planted in a very speedy manner. On the first few days, Gold One planted on high land without any standing water. However, once they completed those the team had to then plant in two to three inches of water and submerge the plants into the ground. This task was not easy at first and the whole team struggled with planting into water. However, with Christina’s ingenuity and the attentiveness of the team, the problem was solved. The team as a whole learned to shovel denser mud from dry land and bring it to the polygons for “mud caps;” which helped anchor the plants into the soil. Every day was a different learning experience for not only Gold One but also Christina. They changed planting habits numerous times and also planting and checking procedures to more efficiently get the project completed. The Service Learning Initiators (SLI) of the team helped put the planting efforts into a better prospective with interpersonal events that helped improve the teams’ tentativeness towards the planting. The team participated in events that showed how important homes are to each teammate and how that can be related to endanger species. The SLIs also showed that in an ecosystem all members of that ecosystem have a part to play. Without that individual part of the ecosystem the system will fail and this natural dynamic related back to Gold One as its own ecosystem. SLI activities were also good ways of testing the team to see what teammates remembered specific facts about the project. Occasionally SLI activities were group tests or competitions of knowledge to see who remembered what the project consultants taught Gold One in the weeks prior to the activities. Debriefings were on Friday afternoons and each week Christina would give a percentage of how many plants were successfully planted and completed. As a team, Gold One would also talk about how the project had impacted the lives of each member. During the project Gold One experienced more rain than the project consultants expected. The levee that was separating the seasonal wetland and the bay was breeched during the workday and the team had to leave quickly for safety purposes. After the massive amount of water that inundated the planting site, Christina announced the amazing news that all the plants were successfully still in the ground. Christina was very impressed with the team’s efforts and Gold One was very pleased that all the hard work wasn’t washed away in just a few days. After the water levels lowered, Gold One went back to work in a few more inches of water and kept successfully transplanting. All the consultants were very pleased with the efforts and wanted the team to truly understand the importance of Gold One’s role in the project. Christina encouraged the team to visit in five to ten years after the team left the site. In the time of the team’s absence, an amazing ecosystem will grow. Christina was very eager for Gold One to come back and appreciate their hard work and see the amazing results.
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Project Accomplishments
Total Number of Plants Planted
Total Number of Seeds Transplanted
Acre of Invasive Species Removed
Benefits to the Community People in the neighboring community have been actively involved as volunteers in the restoration of habitat in their backyard. The wetland is surrounded by the Bay Trail, which is used by the public everyday. Restoring the wetland will make using the Bay Trail a more rounded experience for everyone, as they will get to see the wildlife that will be attracted to the area. The animal community will also be provided with habitat and food. In addition to the benefits to human and animal communities, wetlands provide erosion control, floodwater retention, and natural filtration of water. Benefits to the Team The team benefited from working with the project sponsor, Christina McWhorter. Christina taught Gold One a lot throughout the project and made sure they were always comfortable but still challenged. Gold One was also benefited with increased tool safety and general safety awareness, as this was top priority of the staff at the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project. The team also learned to adapt to different working conditions, including harsh rain and cold, which benefited the team in learning to be flexible.
11,040 plants 3,000 seedlings 1 acre
Fig. 6 The Big Picture Gold One got the opportunity to hike to the top of the worksite and view their progress. Pictured above is the North Seasonal Wetland where Gold One worked for six weeks.
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Pluses and Constructive Even Better Ifs
Working with the sponsor and staff at the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project was such a memorable experience. The pluses of the project were…
• The first priority was always the safety of the Corps Members and staff • The staff provided Gold One with tools to use during the project and also safety
guidelines • Instructions were provided that clearly explained work day expectations • The staff always accepted constructive feedback to make sure the job went smoothly • The staff was constantly there to answer questions if needed • The staff always came to work with a positive attitude and worked to make sure the
morale of the team was high • Water and restroom breaks were provided to Gold One to keep everyone hydrated and
as comfortable as possible • Daily stretching helped Gold One and the staff stay comfortable during the workday
The service project would have been even better if…
• Gold One was better prepared for the unpredictable weather forecast by having all rain and cold weather gear with them at all times
• Gold One made sure that everyone kept track of the tools they were using each work day
• Individual polygon teams worked together throughout the entire day so that Corps Members got the opportunity to work more closely with each individual on Gold One
For Gold One, this was an overall great experience for their first round project and they would love to come back and visit to see how their work impacted the Hamilton Wetland.
Fig. 7 Hard At Work Gold One and the staff plant in standing water at the Hamilton Wetland.
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Team Positions
Media Representatives Regina Tillmon and Joshua Williams are the media representatives for Gold One. This round the media reps found media coverage on the project’s official website, which covered who AmeriCorps is and what the project included. The coverage also showed what life was like for Gold One in the wetland. The media reps also took all of Gold One's photos for the round, taking cameras into the field and snapping shots of the team getting things done. The media reps also made Facebook posts describing Gold One’s accomplishments. Recruiters The Gold One recruiters, Gretchen Kramer and Jorden Goodrich, had two formal recruiting events during round one. The first event was during a potluck at the Kampgrounds of America (KOA) Petaluma and the second was at the College of Marin. Both of these events were held at the end of the round to try and take the least amount of time away from the project as possible. The recruiters also decided to place a progress board along the Bay Trail near the worksite so the community could see the progress of Gold One during the project. Many members of the team had several other informal recruiting events, with the other campers at the KOA and the general public at grocery stores and other public places. Service Learning Initiators The Service Learning Initiators (SLI), Garrett DeLegge and Jorden Goodrich, were enthusiastic about this project because it offered so many opportunities for service learning. This project dealt with restoring a wetland and preserving nature. A couple of Gold One’s SLI activities represented how the spike mission related to individuals lives. One of the SLI activities consisted of telling the group to find their favorite area to be alone, a place that makes each individual most comfortable and happy. The SLIs told the team members to go there for thirty minutes and think about how it made them feel. After everyone found their spot, the SLIs asked each individual to show their places and explain why it makes each individual feel content. After everyone shared, the SLIs explained that the sponsor felt similarly about working in the field and caring for each individual plant as Gold One did about their favorite area. Another SLI activity was getting to know the project better with a quiz. The quizzes helped to raise awareness on how important this project is and how much effort and money is going into it, which was over two hundred and eighty million dollars. The SLIs have a crucial role of being in charge of sharing the importance of everyday work to benefit the team and the work area. The SLIs have helped the team better understand and respect how wetlands, plants, and species are just like the team and have very similar needs. Project Outreach Liaisons The Project Outreach Liaisons, Alexa Shapiro and Josh Williams, helped provide independent service opportunities to their teammates and did outreach to potential sponsors in the area. They also updated an ISP chart that tracked individual hours and goals for round one so that they could motivate teammates to do ISPs. In total, Gold One had at least one or two ISPs during four weekends of round one, and the POLs did outreach to four potential project sponsors.
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Vehicle Safety and Tools Coordinators The Vehicle, Safety and Tools Coordinators, Reid Scott and Stefanie Landman, were responsible for the daily and weekly van checks, the weekend safety briefing, a weekly deep clean of the van, ensuring all equipment on the job was kept clean and accounted for, making sure people were wearing their safety equipment, and coming up with a schedule for daily van cleaning, as well as coming up with a system for switching out boots to keep the van less muddy. Future VSTs on this project could implement the boot switching system in the van, which involved wearing rain boots during work and putting on work boots for travel to cut down the amount of mud in the van. Peer Helpers During Round One the Peer Helpers, Elijah Rutledge and Kelsey Stoltman, focused on promoting positive attitudes between the team members. The goal was to foster an environment that recognizes team members for their attributes and actions that are beneficial to the team in order to encourage that behavior. It also acted as a way to create a sense of community that allowed for more vulnerability and honesty when dealing with negative situations. Life After AmeriCorps Rep The Life After AmeriCorps Rep, Alexa Shapiro, was responsible for keeping track of individual LAA goals and for conducting activities that promoted networking. The first activity was an informational interview where the project sponsor informed Gold One about her career path and members were given the opportunity to ask her questions. The second activity was an elevator speech activity where members were asked to practice speeches that they could give to people in short periods of time that would inform others about their goals and aspirations. Alexa also informed her team of opportunities she felt coincided with their LAA plans. Environmental Liaison The Environmental Liaison, Stefanie Landman, implemented different programs to increase Corps Members understanding and awareness of the environment. The EL made sure members were aware of recyclable materials and insured those items went into recycling, collected redeemable bottles and cans for return, and started a compost collection, which Gold One was able to bring to the worksite and dispose of in the city compost. The EL event this round was a game called Meet a Tree in which members were led to a tree by a partner while they were blindfolded, and then had to find that tree when they were taken back to a starting point and the blindfold was taken off. After each person in the pair found a tree, cards with information and identifying characteristics of the commonly found trees on the campsite were passed around. Corps Members learned more about the trees they had found, had a good time, and gained some trust for each other. Physical Training Coordinators During round one, the Physical Training (PT) Coordinators, Reid Scott and Briara Tillman, held PT three times a week typically on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Mondays were for muscle building, Wednesdays were for yoga and stretching, and Fridays were for cardio. Due to the physical nature of the work, every morning at work as well as after lunch the PT coordinators would lead the team in stretches with the sponsor. The team also had the option to participate in power hours when the workload permitted it. This would mean that Corps Members would do 10 pushups at the beginning of each hour. The workouts were tailored so that each member would be able to participate at their own level while still being challenged.
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Independent Service Project Details
Petaluma Bounty An organic urban farm focused on sustainable living Served November 15th, 22nd Contact Lennie Larkin, (707) 364-‐4883 55 Shasta Ave, Petaluma, CA Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center A barn that uses horses for therapeutic healing Served November 15th, 22nd, and December 6th Contact Julie Larson, (707) 781-‐9455 7600 Lakeview Hwy, Petaluma, CA
Fig. 8 Side Walking Elijah Rutledge helps walk a student around the arena at the equestrian independent service project.
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Appendices: Team Reflections
Robert Delegge Working in the Hamilton wetland was a very interesting experience. Being from Charleston South Carolina I already knew a lot about wetlands because they surround my hometown. This gave me a little advantage in this job because I already knew what it would feel like to be in a wetland. I was wrong though. The wetland we were restoring was very different than the ones I am used to back home. Because of this I had to change my whole perspective about wetlands except for the basic concept of why they are important. Over the period of working there I discovered and learned many new things about wetlands and how animals, plants, and people all rely on it. This project will stay with me because of all the hard work our sponsor and our team put into the project and because it will help generations of species and people in the following years. In a way it has changed how I view wetlands and how the miracle of nature can help everyone. I hope I can come back to this project later and see how much it has changed. Jorden Goodrich Working in a wetland for me was a project I was very excited for. Having background knowledge of natural habitats and also landscaping this summer really prepared me for this project. The first day on the project for me was very intimidating; meeting many people working on the project, and how much time and effort was truly spent on this project astounded me. I learned a lot in the past six weeks about plant ecology and restoration work, also learning how much time it takes to plan and actually get a project of this size truly completed is mind blowing. Two aspects of this project that will forever stay with me is one; I can come back to this amazing place and see how well we did in our efforts of planting when the time comes and it is a fully natural habitat. The second most memorable phase of this project for me was meeting so many amazing and influential people. I am truly honored and blessed to have had the opportunity to play a role in such an innovative restoration project that will hopefully stand the test of time. Gretchen Kramer During this project, I became increasingly more comfortable with being outdoors and with bugs, which was my biggest concern. I enjoyed being able to talk with my teammates and get to know them better while in the worksite, and I am very pleased with the progress we have made as a team. I think that the project was great for round one, and I really enjoyed getting to know Christina, Connor and Adam and learning some of the knowledge that they have to offer on plant and bird species in the wetlands. I really appreciated the time that I got to spend with my teammates during this round, and I believe that it will help our relationships later on. While I am sad to leave this project, I am very eager to see how Gold One will continue to grow in later rounds. Stefanie Landman This project was an amazing opportunity to be doing work that I found valuable, enjoyable, and rewarding. Each day was filled with its own challenges, but even the toughest days were made better by fleeting moments of beauty. The way the clouds looked over the mountains, the birds that would fly around us and feed near where we were working, and seeing the sunrise on the drive lifted my spirits and was a constant reminder of how important the natural world is to me, and how much our work would be benefiting all the things that gave me joy everyday. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in such amazing work, but am also humbled by the entirety of the project and our work.
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Lauren Rogers As a team leader, this project has been the most I could ever have hoped for in terms of the challenges and support present. The daring challenge that the sponsor of the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project proposed was bold and concise. Planting 11,700 plants in six short weeks forced the team to work on effective communication, cohesion, perseverance, physical health and learning skills. As I look back, it is clear to me that this could not have been done without our wonderful sponsor, Christina. She was direct, supportive, clear, patient, energetic and a solid teacher. The leadership she displayed in conjunction with the direct challenge created an environment conducive to strengthening the experience from the perspective of a team and as an individual. I will never forget how hard Christina worked to communicate both her high standards and her very serious need to accommodate and support us. While we completed 94% of the planting effort, she and I both agreed that we shot for the stars and landed on the moon. I personally felt that we, as a team that includes Christina and her support staff, absolutely succeeded in our efforts. It was a fulfilling moment when I stepped back to realize the magnitude of our impact on the wetlands and on ourselves during our individual journey of growth. Elijah Rutledge Round one was interesting to say the least. I really enjoyed being able to work outside and directly with nature. Our sponsor was great and I am so glad that we had the opportunity to get close to her. Our team dynamics have definitely shifted throughout the round. I am looking forward to the next round and getting to know our team better. Reid Scott I really enjoyed the physical nature of our first project. Being able to work outside and get dirty helped me stay positive and focused on the project, even though the work was monotonous at times. Our project sponsor was great; she was always positive and kept us going. She was able to balance work and fun and always had our best interests in mind. Our team’s communication skills increased, and although everything isn’t worked out, we are improving. Overall, being able to watch the sunrise over the wetlands or on our drives everyday was great and it was nice to reconnect with nature. Alexa Shapiro After thirteen weeks of training, I was growing really anxious to finally begin a round project and I couldn’t be more grateful that my first project was this one. Christina’s leadership and patience with our team was phenomenal and she showed me a lot about what it means to be a compassionate and effective leader. This round did present a lot of difficulties, but rather then allow them to bring me down I’m looking forward to round two as an opportunity to grow past the challenges and continue to see personal and team growth. Kelsey Stoltman As I look back at the past six weeks, I have a hard time believing that it has only been six weeks. I feel as though I have grown a lot as an individual, gained many new skills, and have established friendships that could be life-‐long. It makes me look forward to the next seven months that we have together so I can continue to grow in those friendships and establish new ones with all of
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my teammates. I am ceaselessly impressed by what Gold One can accomplish in work and with each other. I know that we will continue on to achieve even more than I can imagine right now. Briara Tillman This service project was a great experience that I would not change for anything in the world. Coming to work everyday when the sun is just rising is the most beautiful sight ever. The staff was just amazing and always made sure the team morale was uplifted. I never thought working this close to nature would be so much fun and such a memorable time. Regina Tillmon I enjoyed this round. I loved being outdoors and getting to watch the sunrise every morning. I also enjoyed getting to learn new things about plants and birds from our sponsor. It was also nice to get to know my team better over work conversation and it was honestly fun to get muddy. Although I found this round physically challenging I really think that I enjoyed it so much that it didn't matter. Joshua Williams The Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project was a good project for round one. It was a good challenge for me for I am not an outdoors person. It was a good opportunity to help the environment and to give back not only to the community of people, but also the community of wildlife that lives in the Hamilton Fields. It feels good to know that the different species of animals in the wetlands can call the new plants we planted home.
Fig. 9 Dirt and Grime Elijah Rutledge and Lauren Rogers take a moment from planting to smile for the camera
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Appendices: Team Brochure
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