Aquatic Adventures, founded in San Diego in 1999, has provided free educational programming for economically disadvantaged schools in the area since its inception. Wetland Avengers was created to protect and preserve wetland and watershed habitats of the San Diego River watershed and to educate area youth and the local community about environmental stewardship.

Wetland Avengers is a collaborative effort between Aquatic Adventures, a non-profit organization, and four elementary schools in San Diego, California. The program originated in 2001 in response to an overwhelming need for wetlands protection in Southern California. In fact, around 95% of the wetland habitat has already been destroyed. Since San Diego County is located in a globally significant biodiversity "hotspot", the severe habitat loss has lead to an alarmingly high incidence of endangered species.

For the last four years, the Wetland Avengers have hosted annual wetland festivals involving over 500 community volunteers. The Avengers participated in site restoration efforts by removing debris and invasive plants. They have also worked to improve the site by planting native flora. The program developed and provided experiential learning opportunities for over 800 fourth grade students. Activities included lessons about flood control and erosion, site restoration, wetland plants, and field identification of the endemic bird population.

According to Conservation International, "Conservation International (CI) supports Aquatic Adventures in its work to empower local communities to protect and preserve critical wetland and watershed habitats through the Wetland Avengers project. The project area, focused around a globally significant biodiversity hotspot in California, is consistent with CI's targeted approach to conserve the world's most species-rich places.

Wetland Avengers is a creative and energetic program that combines awareness raising and habitat restoration to engage youth, many of whom are unaware of the incredible natural habitat that they are in risk of losing, in environmental stewardship. Students embody the project mission by avenging destructive practices of the past through constructive yet non-intrusive actions in the present."