Cobbs Creek Watershed Coalition
INTRODUCTION
The Council works with a variety of local community organizations, non-profit partners, and city, state, and federal agencies to improve environmental health, access, safety, and belonging to trails, parks, and water in West and Southwest Philadelphia. These groups have come together to form the Cobbs Creek Watershed Coalition with the goal of empowering communities through collective action. The Coalition is dedicated to educating, engaging, and inspiring stewardship of land and water. By bridging civic engagement with environmental justice, we forge connections between people, place, and history. Through aligned resources, we restore and nurture community bonds with nature, promoting education, stewardship, conservation, recreation, and restoration initiatives for a sustainable future.
THE PROBLEM
Cobbs Creek Watershed faces environmental and health threats including pollution from urban runoff, water contamination, erosion, and flooding effects from climate change. Cobbs Creek Watershed communities have faced barriers to accessing their green space and a long history of environmental disinvestment.
These issues are not just environmental; they directly impact the quality of life for the communities inside of Cobbs Creek Watershed. Addressing both of these issues is necessary to stop the degradation of water quality, reduced biodiversity, and reduced access to the natural spaces that offer physical and mental well-being benefits.
THE SOLUTION
The Cobbs Creek Watershed Coalition aims to connect watershed communities to their natural lands and waters. With accessibility in mind, we do this through education, stewardship, community-driven experiences, recreation, waterway data collection, valued resource delivery, and partnership with neighboring organizations to equitably engage, advocate, and serve.
Through the Coalition’s growing support structure, we work to address the historical inequities of a lack of recreation, programming, restoration, stewardship, and education efforts in the watershed. Together, we increase community engagement efforts, improve amenities, offer programming, and identify environmental hazards.
The Coalition understands that residents must feel safe accessing trails and parks in order for them to be used to their full potential. Advocating for road safety improvements that reduce dangerous driving behavior along the length of the Cobbs Creek Parkway ensures safe accessible gateways to greenspace and is more welcoming to residents. Our group is also committed to creating a clean park environment that is properly stewarded. Hosting regular clean-ups, identifying hotspots for illegal dumping, and participating in regular tree plantings and pruning will ensure the long term care of the Watershed while offering a clean environment for park and trail users.
Our group also prioritizes community education, stewardship, and engagement. We create stronger connections for residents surrounding greenspace by providing information and resources that teach residents to take action, offer free recreational opportunities for neighbors to participate in, and host events that bring together and highlight resources. This programming activates the Watershed, making it safer, and introduces this underused greenspace to community members who may be unfamiliar.
By bringing together community leaders with stakeholders and policymakers, we encourage neighbors to envision themselves in a greenspace that meets their wants and needs. The Coalition is creating a radical invitation for communities to connect to Cobbs Creek Watershed through diverse and exciting ways by paving the way for the next generation of caretakers and advocates.
CALL TO ACTION
Join Cobbs Creek Watershed Coalition in our efforts to steward, educate, recreate, conserve blue and green space in the Watershed. The Coalition offers a number of ways to get involved, learn more, and experience nature in the watershed through programs, activities, and events. Residents interested in stewardship efforts can volunteer to join clean-ups picking up trash. Connect and learn more about Cobbs Creek Watershed Coalition on Facebook and Instagram.
