Jeri Lynn Benell has been hired as local coordinator for the Virgin River Coalition (VRC).
The Virgin River Coalition facilitates and supports a community-based effort to maintain a thriving Lower Virgin River watershed that provides multiple benefits for people and nature from now into the future. The Coalition was formed in 2017 and consists of 34 community members, city representatives, the local irrigation and water districts, non-profit organizations, and county, state and federal partners.
The Coalition uses a collaborative approach so that decisions that affect the river, its water quality and its biological diversity, reflect the concerns of the community and ensure a healthy river for future generations of residents, businesses, recreational users, farmers, and ranchers. Its focus is on the Lower Virgin River watershed, from the Utah border to Lake Mead.
Jeri Lynn brings a wealth of experience to the VRC. Jeri Lynn has been a Mesquite/Bunkerville resident for nearly 40 years and as a retired educator with 30 years of teaching experience – 10 of those years as the Agriculture Science Teacher and FFA Advisor. Mrs. Benell organized student volunteer groups to perform restoration work on the Virgin River, supervising these groups removing invasive plants and restoring with native plants and doing soil and water testing. Jeri Lynn’s duties as the new coordinator will include organizing community volunteer events at the river and providing educational outreach with the goal of increasing community involvement, awareness and interaction with the Virgin River Watershed Area.
Tanya Anderson from The Nature Conservancy says “I am excited for all that the VRC can accomplish together with the VRC’s new coordinator position. Jeri Lynn’s experience as an educator and her deep connection in the community will help us move forward toward educating the community about the value of watershed for people and nature.”
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