Master Watershed Steward applications

The program has coursework in water and natural resources with volunteer and educational opportunities.

The Penn State Extension Watershed Steward program in Montgomery County is offering an online information session at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, in preparation for our spring training program.

The program provides extensive coursework in water and natural re - sources with ongoing volunteer and educational opportunities that allow participants to make a difference in their communities. We are seeking individuals who enjoy learning, have the desire and time to volunteer and appreciate working with others.

This spring’s training will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. starting March 3rd and running through June 2nd. Optional in-person field experiences will be scheduled locally with COVID-19 safety measures in place.

In exchange for 40 hours of instruction, candidates must agree to contribute 50 hours of volunteer service their first year, followed by 20 hours per year thereafter. Volunteer activities available to Master Watershed Stewards include organizing educational events, desig ning demonstration rain gardens, organizing stream cleanups, planting riparian forest buffers, working with municipal officials to plant native meadows, monitoring streams for bacteria, and more.

To learn more about the program, you can tune in to a county open house. Dates, times and registration information can be found at https://extension.psu.edu/master-watershedsteward-open-house. Applications can be submitted at our online application link for spring 2021.