About Us

“Protect, restore and appreciate the wetlands of the Pajaro Valley”

Who We Are:
In an era of vanishing wetlands, the Watsonville Sloughs, one of the largest fresh water wetlands in the California Coastal Region, lie in southern Santa Cruz County within sight of the Monterey Bay. In 1990, when developers proposed to build 800 homes on the uplands of Struve Slough, a group of concerned citizens formed to protect this precious habitat. They were successful and development was stopped. Alerted to the almost hidden but valuable fresh water wetlands system in their midst, citizens of the area banded together to form the Watsonville Wetlands Watch (WWW). Our aim was to protect the entire slough system and the uplands that provided habitat for native plants and animals.

Since that time WWW has grown to an influential organization that has challenged wetland development and promoted planning and resource protection through a comprehensive study. WWW concerns have expanded beyond the sloughs to include an interest in all wetlands in the Pajaro Valley.

The organization has publicized the importance of the sloughs through public meetings, newspaper articles and the publication of our award winning book, "Watching the Watsonville Wetlands: An Armchair Guide to the Watsonville Slough System" and by advocating for the sloughs before local governmental agencies. We are working with local schools to educate students about the value of the wetlands through guided walks for students, serving as a resource for teachers and providing educational materials to be used in the classroom. In addition, some of our members are not content to just speak and write about the sloughs, but also like to get "down and dirty" with slough cleanups.

What We Do:
To fulfill our mission, Watsonville Wetlands Watch (WWW) advocates for wetland issues, educates in schools and in the public arena, restores degraded habitats, preserves what remains whole, and appreciates the unique beauty and life of our valley wetlands. In cooperation with numerous other agencies, we support studies of and planning for these sites.