The Student Conservation Association is proud to partner with Southwest Airlines in building the next generation of conservation leaders and creating lifelong stewardship to the land. Southwest Airlines volunteers, SCA members, alumni, and local communities help restore and preserve public lands and waterways, providing vital habitat as well as recreational areas. Through these efforts, the SCA and Southwest Airlines have engaged thousands in hands-on conservation service across the nation.
“Being an SCA Ambassador has given me the opportunity to visit communities that I’ve never been to before, learn about issues they are facing, and lend a helping hand to tackle those issues while also helping the environment. One of the most memorable service projects I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of is helping restore a community garden in South Los Angeles with a nonprofit called RootDown LA. After two days of hard work, SCA Ambassadors and volunteers transformed the garden by creating community gathering areas, building picnic tables and [more.] It’s fulfilling to see the positive impacts we’ve had as Ambassadors in communities throughout the country.
The opportunities I’ve had as an SCA Ambassador wouldn’t be possible without the support of Southwest Airlines in getting myself and my fellow ambassadors to service project sites across the country. Southwest Airlines makes it easy to book and alter flights when needed. I’m grateful for the partnership between SCA and Southwest Airlines in helping build the next generation of conservation leaders.”
~ Elisa Escobar, SCA alumni and Community Ambassador
Southwest Airlines demonstrates its commitment to our communities and the environment through their partnership with SCA. As the official airline of SCA, Southwest Airlines provides hundreds of airline tickets each year for members, leaders, and staff. This generous gift enables SCA to have the capacity to service over 600 parks in all 50 states contributing over 1.3M hours of service. Join the partnership by donating your Southwest Rapid Rewards.
When Southwest Airlines donates a flight to SCA it turns into something so much more. Thanks to Southwest, our youth leaders gained important workforce skills, which included conservation skills training, “Leave No Trace” training, chainsaw safety training, leadership development, and project planning. The donated vouchers from Southwest enabled dozens of youth to participate in life-changing conservation crew experiences in all corners of the country. The vouchers also allowed SCA staff to travel between the different SCA offices across the U.S., which helped staff members meet, share best practices, and participate in essential trainings.
On Earth Day, the Southwest vouchers mobilized teams in 10 different cities to host conservation events engaging citizens, employees, and youth to help give back to our planet. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds came together to restore local parks and green spaces—planting thousands of trees, making thousands of wildflower seed balls to bring back native pollinators, and completing other projects to educate community members and help build capacity at urban parks nationwide. Southwest employees in New York, Houston, and Seattle rolled up their sleeves to help add to the over 2,400 volunteers.
One of our most exciting innovations, seed balls, has been spreading across the nation, thanks in part to Southwest. These seed balls help create wildflower and native plant habitats that help pollinators survive. Without pollinators, much of the farmed and wild flora that humans and other animals depend on for food, air, and shelter would die off, and that, suffice it to say, would not be good for anyone.
