Winter’s focus is part of a long-term strategy to insure a high level of environmental commitment including organizing over 43 neighborhood community groups, through her generous articulation of personal respect for the environment.

The River Project - Poetic Inspiration

Several years ago, Melanie Winter became involved with the Los Angeles river, through her interest in preservation of natural resources. She was involved with a group that basically met once a month and participated in clean up projects much like several of the efforts made by similar groups on the eastern coast and Chesapeake Bay areas and waterways.

Her interests, in the project and her concepts of preservation soon exceeded those of her affiliates. Melanie’s ideas required a greater effort toward the reduction in pollution and movement toward long term success. She has pursued this goal, in part, with an energy that is empowered to innovate and inspire community efforts.  Her success is amplified by accountability measures for the benefit of the environment, at every stage of her involvement.

Winter’s focus is part of a long-term strategy to insure a high level of environmental commitment including organizing over 43 neighborhood community groups through her generous articulation of personal respect for the environment. Her efforts are impressive to all those who indeed share her concerns for the betterment and restoration of the Los Angeles River.

Her efforts toward environmental sustainability have not been without difficulty, however she is a non-stoppable personality. You can be sure that Melanie Winter plans (as well as humanly possible) for many possible road blocks.  Melanie’s concepts are reflective of a holistic, ecological approach to human resource ecology and reflect her commitment and unified approach to community, commerce and future development of the surrounding areas along the Los Angeles River.  

By recognizing the environment as a key value, and maintaining her focus on issues at hand, Winter is able to direct her energy and attention toward pollution prevention strategies that provide simultaneous environmental awareness opportunities for entire communities.  Her enthusiasm is contagious and inspires individuals to concentrate on developing future pollution prevention projects.

As part of her efforts, Melanie directed a night of poetry, at CBS studios, to showcase the work of students in the North Hollywood area. Projects such as Melanie’s “Poetry Jam” enable entire families to become involved with The River Project, in a hands-on effort to save, restore and preserve the Los Angeles River, their greatest natural resource.

Through their local schools, children from grades k-12 are learning the importance of preventing pollution and are devising solutions, based on a system of ecological education, that provide a wealth of environmental approaches and solutions, that also encourages and empowers them  to use creativity to solve environmental problems through their visual and literary compositions.
 
This integrated approach of their school’s curriculum provides activities in a program that is multi-dimensional and age appropriate. The artwork and poetry, of each of the students, incorporates their concerns in environmental themes. Some students focus is on the personal aspects of pollution which directly effect family activities such as; fishing, biking, boating and other students concentrated their work on providing innovative solutions to reduce pollution without negatively impacting society's ability to meet the needs of the future.  

Melanie's "Poetry Jam" was a celebration of students who are learning the importance of becoming environmentally responsible. The artwork and poetry showcased that evening was sensitive, intelligent and even profoundly inspiring.

Deborah Russell,  © 2004

Melanie Winter, Director of The River Project, was honored by Sunset Magazine as the first recipient of their annual environmental hero awards, “Champions of the West”.

http://www.theriverproject.org/about.html

The River Project is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to planning for natural resource protection, conservation and enhancement in Los Angeles County.

(Melanie Winter, photography, D.Russell, © 2004)