Spring is just around the corner, and after this long cold winter, doesn’t it feel great to think about the snow melting, the ground thawing, and getting your hands into the soil to plant something new and green in your community?

Be on the lookout for volunteer opportunities in your home town, as many groups work to schedule tree plantings and other great events this time of year. They may just be general spring events, or perhaps you will find events affiliated with some of the upcoming dates of significance like Earth Day on April 22 or Arbor Day on April 26.

Planting trees, whether they are right along a stream or in an upland area, benefits our local waterways. Trees help to serve as buffers, slowing the movement of storm water and filtering out nutrient pollution before the water reaches our streams, lakes, ponds, and rivers. Tree roots help to hold soil in place and reduce erosion, tree canopies provide shade over water to keep aquatic habitats cool, and falling leaves provide food and shelter for the tiny critters living underwater.

Clean-up events are also happening in many communities this spring. Removing trash from in and along waterways is very beneficial to our local water quality, for obvious reasons. Cleaning up just about anywhere, however, is a big help to protecting water resources.

Stormwater carries trash long distances across the land or through storm sewers, eventually depositing it into our streams and rivers. So no matter where you are, your clean-up efforts will help to conserve our local waterways.

These efforts are also great opportunities for youth groups and whole families to participate in. If you coordinate a 4-H club, scout troop, school program or other group of youth or if you have children or grandchildren in your family, you can make a huge impact. Not only would you be bringing extra hands along to volunteer, but also you would be helping to create future water stewards so that our waterways continue to be cared for in future generations.

Here are a couple of resources that you can look to for volunteer opportunities near you: VolunteerMatch,  Arbor Day Foundation and Great American Cleanup of PA.

Also check with your local parks and nature centers, watershed associations, and municipalities for other opportunities.

Most importantly, have fun, and thanks for helping to protect your local waterways!

(Written By: Jennifer R. Fetter, Extension Educator – Watershed/Youth Development, Renewable Natural Resources Team, Penn State Extension, Dauphin County Office and reprinted from Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter.)

3/24/2014