The Stafford Creek lock-up near Aberdeen, Washington is part of a sustainable prisons project in which prisoners work on projects that restore species and habitats. One of those projects is raising endangered Oregon Spotted Frogs for release into the wild. Prisons have had the highest success rate of any frog-raising group involved in the effort.
In addition to improving habitat, prisoners in the Sustainable Prisons Project raise their own food in organic gardens, recycle waste and have significantly reduced the burden on sewage processing plants. The dollar value of the efforts is in the millions.
We create a collaborative, intellectually stimulating environment in which incarcerated men and women play key roles in conservation and advancing scientific knowledge. We encourage teamwork, mutual respect and a stewardship ethic among individuals who typically have little or no access to nature or opportunities in science and sustainability. Our vision is not only to save tax dollars and natural resources, but also to help offenders rebuild their lives for the benefit of all
