The Cumberland County Penn State Extension is accepting applications for its second class of Cumberland County Master Watershed Stewards. Applications are due January 31.
This program, launched in Cumberland County in 2020, trained 24 volunteers last spring, and will be hosting another training in spring 2021. Statewide, the MWS program is making a difference in nearly 20 other counties in Pennsylvania and engages more than 400 volunteers.
The MWS program recruits community volunteers with an interest in water quality and natural resource conservation. Training involves formal (virtual) classroom sessions, and ideally includes field trips and a hands-on component sometime in the future.
Training topics include environmental resources, stream ecology, water chemistry, stormwater, native and invasive plants, wildlife, geology, education and more.
To become a certified MWS, a 40-hour training program and 50 hours of volunteer service is required the first year. Certification is maintained in subsequent years by contributing a minimum of 20 volunteer hours and 10 hours of continuing education annually.
Once trained, stewards are then engaged in watershed restoration, education, and research projects throughout Cumberland County.
Examples of Steward projects include installing rain and pollinator gardens, participating in streamside or community habitat enhancement projects/plantings, conducting stream clean-ups, organizing educational workshops that address such topics as backyard habitat or homeowner stormwater management, writing newsletter articles, developing educational materials, and working with schools to provide meaningful watershed educational in-class and field experiences.
The new 12-session training program will begin in March 2021. Classes will be held virtually statewide, with County specific sessions. Field experiences will be arranged and scheduled when it is safe to do so.
Open Houses
Cumberland County Extension will hold open house information sessions for prospective Master Watershed Stewards on January 13 and 19 starting at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, visit the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Stewards Cumberland County webpage. Questions should be directed to coordinator Holly Smith at 717-240-6505 or email hps5293@psu.edu.
[For more information on this program in other counties, visit the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Stewards webpage.
[How Clean Is Your Stream?
[DEP’s Interactive Report Viewer allows you to zoom in on your own stream or watershed to find out how clean your stream is or if it has impaired water quality using the latest information in the draft 2020 Water Quality Report.]
(Photo: Master Watershed Stewards help maintain a riparian buffer along LeTort Spring Run in Cumberland County.)
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[Posted: November 25, 2020] PA Environment Digest
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