Are you 55 years or older, live in York, Adams, or Lancaster Counties and want to become involved in protecting our resources and educating the public on the natural world? If so, the Pennsylvania Senior Environment Corps wants you.

Senior Environment Corps members can participate in a variety of tasks from monitoring water-quality, observing and reporting on wildlife, reaching out to others about how they can help the environment, and even aiding with office tasks. The possibilities are endless.

“The Pennsylvania SEC program has chapters in all three counties – Adams, Lancaster, and York. This spring, we’re hoping to see more folks across take an interest in clean water and a healthy environment,” said Melinda Hughes-Wert, President of Nature Abounds, the organization that manages the Senior Environment Corps program,

“Senior Environment Corps members have monitored water quality, helped to inventory wildlife, marked abandoned oil wells and educated the next generation of environmental stewards. Seniors in Pennsylvania really can make a difference. In fact, the value of the SEC program across Pennsylvania is estimated at over $3,000,000 a year,” added Hughes-Wert.

Training Workshop

One of the projects that the SEC members are engaged in is baseline water quality monitoring. A workshop sponsored by York Audubon Society, is set for March 12 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Penn State Extension office in York, PA. The event is free and lunch will be provided.

Feel free to come if you’re ready to be involved in the Senior Environment Corps program or if you just want to find out what being involved in the Senior Environment Corps program is all about.  Pre-registration is required for the event.

Local hosts of the South Central Pennsylvania SEC groups are York Audubon, Lancaster Conservation District, and Adams County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.

For questions about the March 12th training, please contact Tom Smith at 717-840-2375.

For more information about the Senior Environment Corps or Nature Abounds, please contact Melinda Hughes-Wert of Nature Abounds at either 814-765-1453 or send email to: sec@natureabounds.org. 

2/17/2014