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Watershed Stewards Training June 16
Caption: Watershed Stewards Lenore Weisse and Leatrice Langer talking to boaters at the Lackawaxen Access.
BEACH LAKE, PA – If you are someone who enjoys spending time outdoors, consider yourself to be a “people person”, and find yourself with some extra time on your hands, then signing up to be a Watershed Steward may be the perfect opportunity for you! The National Park Service, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River (UPDE) is looking for eager outdoor enthusiasts to donate a few hours of their time at some of the busiest Upper Delaware River boat launches and access points on weekends throughout the summer visitor season, from June 18 through September 3, 2016.
Aquatic invasive species are a growing threat in the Delaware River and beyond. Newly trained Watershed Stewards stationed along UPDE will play an important role in stopping the introduction and transport of invasive species by fishing tackle, footwear, and boat trailers. Stewards will conduct visual inspections, interview water body users, and encourage them to properly clean all of their equipment before using it on another body of water. Once invasive species gain hold in a river or lake, they can displace native species and rapidly multiply, making waterways impassible to boats, alter water quality, and negatively affect tourism.
All volunteers should plan to attend a mandatory training session which will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Environmental Learning Center located on Lake Wallenpaupack – 126 PPL Drive in Hawley, PA. The required training day will familiarize volunteers with the Watershed Stewards Manual, get them acquainted with aquatic invasive species that threaten our region through hands on identification, and train them in how to talk to river users and conduct a boat inspection. Training day lunch will be generously provided by the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP).
Volunteer efforts will be focused on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays which are the days that see peek visitor use at the river throughout the summer months. All volunteers will be signed up as official National Park Service V.I.P.s, will receive a shirt and ball cap to wear when on duty as a Watershed Steward, and be rewarded with plenty of fresh air and scenic views while spending their summer outdoors in the Upper Delaware River Valley.
For more information or to sign up as a volunteer please contact Watershed Steward Volunteer Coordinator Lindsay Matuszewski at (570) 685-4871 ext. 6608. Please rsvp for the June 16 training by June 13.
