Redbud Center | Kids on the Colorado | River Stewards | Lake Travis Underwater Cleanup

The Colorado River Foundation believes education is essential to ushering a healthy Colorado River into the next generation. The Foundation raises funds to support natural science education and outdoor recreation, particularly for at-risk and underserved youth, annual river cleanups, and additional community projects that encourage the stewardship, awareness, and protection of the Colorado River in Texas. Our signature programs include Kids on the Colorado, River Stewards, and the annual Lake Travis Underwater Cleanup.

In 2009, the Colorado River Foundation will launch exciting student programs at Redbud Center, located at the intersection of Lake Austin Boulevard and Redbud Trail in West Austin. Now open to the public, the five-acre riverside grounds feature exhibits that teach the history, importance and conservation of the Texas Colorado River. Interactive water features show how floods and water supply are managed by operating the Highland Lakes and dams system. Rainwater harvesting and stormwater management systems demonstrate how water can be conserved and protected. The grounds are open to the public free of charge. Learn more about Redbud Center.

School Programs
The TEKS-aligned curriculum, developed by Austin Independent School District teachers, will teach important science concepts and inspire students to be lifelong stewards of the Colorado River. The first of many exciting educational programs, YES: Youth Experience Stewardship, will be launched in 2009.

YES: Youth Experience Stewardship
YES is ideal for students in grades 3-6. This program is a resource for educators who care about the natural environment and want to instill knowledge and stewardship of our Central Texas water resources.

Through teachable moments and activities, our docents will help students understand the following concepts:

• Water conservation
• Water cycle
• Properties of water
• Water sources
• Watersheds
• Stewardship

To register your class for the YES program, please download the Educator Resource Guide. This guide contains important information about programs and registration procedures. The registration form is included in this guide.

View the YES Program Student Intro video HERE!

Community Programs
Redbud Center's interpretive walk is open to the public. To learn about the river and why it's important to conserve and protect it as our water supply, come for a community tour.

For community members wishing to book a tour, contact 512-473-3535.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact program coordinator Sarah Richards by phone at (512) 498-1587 or by e-mail.

The Colorado River Foundation believes that youth who learn and understand the value of the Colorado River as a resource are more likely to take steps to protect it as adults. Through the Kids on the Colorado program, the Colorado River becomes a teaching tool to introduce participants to the following topics and more:

• the water cycle
• components of healthy aquatic ecosystems
• aquatic wildlife
• water resource protection
• river ecology
• camping
• rafting and boater safety
• conservation and stewardship
• fishing
• outdoor responsibility

Through a 2-3 hour rafting trip down the river, hands-on experiments, nature hikes, and exciting river presentations, participants explore their role as river stewards and form a lasting personal connection with the Colorado River.

The Foundation offers the Kids on the Colorado program in partnership with the Lower Colorado River Authority, who provide the staffing, facilities and logistical support to maximize the regional outreach of the program. Program sites for Kids on the Colorado have included numerous LCRA sites and facilities, including:

• McKinney Roughs Nature Park, Bastrop County
  
• Matagorda Bay Nature Park, Matagorda County
  
• Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park, Burnet County
• Cooper Farm Natural Science Laboratory, Fayette County
• Nightengale Archeological Center, Burnet County
• Westcave Preserve, Travis County
  

At least 65% of the students who participate in Kids on the Colorado programs come from underserved populations and receive scholarships funded by the Colorado River Foundation.

It costs only $40 to sponsor one participant's program expenses. For more information about sponsorship, please click here or contact us at (512) 498-1587.

Our innovative River Stewards project, a three-year program for Bay City, Texas Independent School District middle school youth (65% minority and 70% at-risk) uses field-based learning to enhance science performance and environmental stewardship. Three hundred and fifty students began attending two one-day science enrichment excursions in January 2007 to the LCRA's new Matagorda Bay Nature Park, exploring topics in science and conservation such as: marine biology, renewable energy production, beach wildlife and shell analysis, live animal presentations, kayaking, water quality and pollution analysis, seining and dip netting to examine marine and estuarine organisms, profiling of beaches and dunes, and using GPS equipment for measurement. A thorough evaluation of the program is already underway, using the following quantitative and qualitative methods: teacher, parent, and student surveys, pre- and post-tests, standardized assessment scores (TAKS exam results), and academic performance. The comprehensive goal of the evaluation is to gather empirical data that reflects the impact of field-based programs on academic success, understanding of the sciences, and attitudes about the conservation of our natural resources.

Click here for pictures from our latest River Stewards program!

For more information about River Stewards or how you can participate, please contact the Foundation at (512) 498-1587.

Sponsor or donate Door Prizes 

CLICK HERE

For details, please contact Tara Akins at

tara@coloradoriver.org or 512.498.1587.