A group of River Stewards prepare to seed native plants along the river.
The River Stewards program started in 2022, but Downtown Streets was one of the many organizations that had to close its doors due to federal funding cuts earlier this year. Kaiya couldn’t continue the program without their partnership, and it had to be paused as a result. However, the impact of Kaiya and the Stewards in those three years was immense. The River Stewards showed up weekly and cleaned up over 200 pounds of trash, removed 3,000 square feet of invasive plants, and planted 1,000 square feet of native species along the river.
“As I met the participants and heard their stories, they really inspired me,” Kaiya said. “They showed up with such gratitude, joy, and community. I felt so uplifted by them. How could I not be inspired by their energy? They were so excited to be there despite everything.”
The goal of the River Stewards program was twofold: restore the San Lorenzo River and provide learning and income-generating opportunities for the unhoused community. The Stewards learned valuable skills about how to work on a team and be part of a restoration project. They also engaged with the ecosystem, learning to identify plant and animal species by their common and Latin names. They cleared thickets of blackberries and other invasive plants, replaced them with native plants, and saw their hard work pay off as other indigenous species returned to the area.
“I loved proving people wrong and really making change and creating biodiversity along the river,” she said.
