Meet Jeremy, an environmental scientist at Applied Technology & Science (A-T-S), who leads colleagues in corporate volunteering to support FOSC’s restoration efforts while advancing A-T-S’s mission of environmental and community health.
FOSC: How did you first get involved with Friends of Sausal Creek, and what drew you to our restoration efforts?
Jeremy: Applied Technology & Science (A-T-S) wanted to give back to the communities we work in, so we sought out nonprofits that align with our Social Impact Partnership goals of environmental and community health. Friends of Sausal Creek stood out because of its long-standing commitment to habitat restoration and community engagement. Having experience working on habitat restoration projects throughout the Bay Area, our staff wanted to provide their native and invasive plant expertise to help FOSC with their various restoration efforts in the Sausal Creek Watershed.
FOSC: When you bring colleagues from Applied Technology & Science, is it usually the same group, or does it vary? How do you decide what sites to support?
Jeremy: It varies—a few regulars have joined each time, while others join when their schedules allow. We select sites based on the availability of our staff, and recently have tried to attend two events per month.
FOSC: I understand you’re an environmental scientist at Applied Technology & Science and previously worked as an Urban Watersheds Manager. How does your
professional work connect with the restoration work you do with FOSC?
Jeremy: My professional work and experience are very similar to the restoration work I do with FOSC. At A-T-S, I manage and work on a variety of projects including habitat restoration and invasive plants management. Previously, I was an Urban Watersheds Manager at Grassroots Ecology, a non-profit based in Palo Alto that does very similar work to FOSC. This is where I started my career in the habitat restoration field and led volunteer events to install native plants, remove invasive plants, and test the water quality of local creeks.
FOSC: How does your team’s passion and expertise contribute to the volunteer experience, and what do you feel you gain from getting out into the field with your colleagues?
Jeremy: My team’s passion and expertise give the FOSC staff peace of mind that the task they have assigned to us for the day, whether it be installing native plants or removing invasive plants, will be completed well and with limited necessary oversight. Our staff also enjoy sharing their knowledge, providing additional learning opportunities for the other volunteers. Getting out in the field with my colleagues is a great team-building and bonding activity and allows us to catch up while helping improve the local habitat. We always leave the events full of energy and happy with the progress that was achieved.
FOSC: How do you rally your crew to dive into some hands-on work in the watershed?
Jeremy: Honestly, there’s not much rallying needed—our team loves being outdoors, getting their hands dirty, and contributing to both the local community and the environment.