Ecological Society of America (ESA) Corporate Award
In 1999 HWR received the Ecological Society of America's Corporate Special Recognition Award.
The ESA bestowed the award in recognition of HWR's work on an innovative project that uniquely integrates elements of human, cultural and ecological health. The project, called the
Potawot Health Village, is a new health care facility built in the City of Arcata by United Indian Health Services, Inc. Located on California's rural north coast the facility will serve 13,000 clients from a consortium of nine local Tribes and Rancherias.Working with a diverse group of Indian elders and youth, university students, agencies and community members, HWR helped forge a plan for the Health Village that provides for environmental restoration of the site in parallel with UIHS's mission of human health restoration. HWR played several key roles in the development of the Health Village, including on-site wetland and upland restoration, creation of opportunities for traditional American Indian agriculture, and design of innovative stormwater management systems. These efforts have resulted in a healthful landscape for environmental and cultural activities.
The Potawot Health Village consists of a 42,000 square foot comprehensive health care clinic with associated traditional and cultural buildings built on a forty-acre site. Twenty acres of the site have been set aside as a conservation easement, which includes restored seasonal wetlands, native forest and grassland habitats, areas for producing traditional medicinal and basket-weaving plants, and an organic orchard and vegetable garden. Plans for future development of the site include daycare, an elder care facility and a youth center.