Honoree Receives Audubon/Toyota TogetherGreen Fellowship
New York, NY: A Livermore, California man is the recipient of a new national fellowship designed to advance the work of individuals with outstanding potential to help shape a brighter environmental future.
Lewis Reed is one of only 40 people selected from competitors nationwide for the TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Program, part of a new conservation initiative of the National Audubon Society with support from Toyota. Fellows receive specialized training in conservation planning and execution, the chance to work and share best practices with gifted conservation professionals, and assistance with project outreach and evaluation. Each Fellow will also receive $10,000 towards a community-focused project to engage local residents in conserving land, water and energy, and contributing to greater environmental health.
For his fellowship, Reed will focus his efforts on leading a cooperative effort between the Livermore Park District and community volunteers to reduce invasive exotic weeds and establish native vegetation in the grasslands of the Livermore valley. The all-volunteer group will have the opportunity for additional mentoring and training through interpretive seminars and educational field trips led by Reed, empowering them to have a direct impact in improving environmental health. Not only will the group be protecting native habitat, making it a better place for wildlife, but they will also be gaining valuable knowledge and experience in stewardship of their land.
Involved in conservation efforts for a decade, Reed is currently a Park Ranger for the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District. As a student mentor, he helps high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented communities identify their own career goals and learn how to get involved in careers in ecology and environmental science – encouraging others to pursue education as a means of self-empowerment.
“Lewis is the kind of person who can make a real difference in the health of our environment and the quality of our future,” said Audubon President John Flicker. “Each of our TogetherGreen Fellows demonstrates exceptional environmental understanding and commitment, combined with tremendous potential to inspire and lead others. Together, they represent the talented and diverse leadership the environmental community will need to tackle the huge challenges and opportunities confronting us now and in the years to come.”
“I hope that this project will help raise awareness and build appreciation for this increasingly rare piece of our natural heritage,” said Reed. “Most of the undeveloped land around Livermore is grassland and in large part people don’t realize that even if we never set foot on that land, we interact with it. These grassy hills provide forage for livestock, sequester carbon and nitrogen emissions from our automobiles, cleanse water that fills our reservoirs, and host about 90% of California’s rare and endangered species. This TogetherGreen project is an opportunity to learn about our grasslands and to participate in restoration of these native habitats.”
Reed has been affiliated with the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District since 1998. Half of the TogetherGreen fellows come from within Audubon’s far-reaching national network; half channel their environmental efforts through other organizations.
Reed is working towards his Masters degree in plant biology from Southern Illinois University, and has received a Bachelors degree in environmental studies from San Jose State University. A dedicated researcher, Reed has been awarded numerous scientific grants from organizations including the British Ecological Society and the Illinois State Academy of Science.
“Toyota believes in the power of grassroots efforts to develop the environmental leaders of tomorrow,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, Group Vice President, Toyota Motor North America. “These 40 TogetherGreen Fellows will receive invaluable training for the future while immediately making a difference today with on-the-ground community projects.”
A complete list of the 2008 TogetherGreen fellows can be found at www.TogetherGreen.org/fellows.
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Livermore Man Singled Out for Environmental Leadership
