The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay presents the Watershed Champion and Fran Flanigan awards as special recognition for leadership and dedication to cleaner rivers and streams of the Chesapeake Bay.

This year’s awardees have thoughtfully considered how to push the boundaries between science, the environment and art, demonstrating exemplary stewardship and profound impacts on the Bay.

Jodi Sulpizio

Jodi Sulpizio is a natural resources educator for Penn State Extension in York County and coordinates its Master Watershed Steward Program and Spongy Moth Program. She teaches residents about stormwater best practices, drinking water safety and watershed management.

As the master watershed steward coordinator, Sulpizio supervises more than 80 volunteers who are educating residents about water resources and implementing best management projects.

Formerly, she was a naturalist for York County Parks and Manheim Township Parks.

Sulpizio is passionate about empowering both citizens and volunteers to protect our natural resources. She is now training York County’s eighth class of Master Watershed Stewards.

Since 2016, stewards in the county have volunteered more than 20,000 hours and have taught watershed basics to more 34,000 people. Together, they have planned and completed many successful projects.

Sulpizio particularly enjoys planting streamside buffers and rain gardens and educating youth.

She also coordinates York’s annual “Street 2 Creek” storm drain art project and looks forward to continued endeavors to help make streams and rivers cleaner for both local communities and the Chesapeake Bay.

Jodi Rose

Jodi Rose, executive director of Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in biochemistry and worked in the environmental consulting field for 15 years, managing soil and groundwater remediation projects and later running her own consulting firm.

As a volunteer in her Catholic parish, she spearheaded several environmental and social justice programs that engaged fellow parishioners to live out their faith in action.

It was during this time that Rose decided to shift into nonprofits to work at the intersection of faith and the environment.

She became the executive director of IPC in 2013 and has grown the IPC staff from one to 10 employees, increased its revenue tenfold and expanded the organization’s network to encompass hundreds of congregations.

Click Here for more on all the Watershed Champions named by the Alliance.

More information is available on programs, initiatives and special events on the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Alliance, Like the Alliance on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, and visit the Alliance’s YouTube Channel.  Click Here to support the Alliance’s work.

NewsClips:

-- Federal Court Settlement Between CBF, Other Groups And EPA Over Requiring Pennsylvania To Meet Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Requirements Now Final

-- PA Capital-Star: Settlement Finalized In Lawsuit Over Chesapeake Bay Pollution From PA

-- Bay Journal - Karl Blankenship: Federal Lawsuit Over PA’s Role In Chesapeake Cleanup Comes To Settlement

-- EPA Region 3: Statement By Adam Ortiz On Final Chesapeake Bay Settlement

-- Warren Times: Western PA Conservancy Honored For Work In Allegheny National Forest

-- Central Penn Business Journal: York County Community Foundation Awards Land, Watershed Grants

-- Triblive: Shaler Township Commissioners Approved Girty’s Run Stream Restoration Project In Allegheny County 

-- Forests For The Chesapeake Bay July Update: Tree Planter’s Worst (Cutest) Enemy; Red Maples; Upcoming Tree Maintenance Days; More!

-- NRCS-PA: How To Protect Livestock From Harmful Algal Blooms

-- Rodale Institute Blog: Nurturing Nature’s Filter - Soil Health And Its Influence On Water Quality

-- Standard-Journal: Life Along The Susquehanna River Focus Of Documentary

Related Articles:

-- Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay Recognizes PA Master Watershed Steward Jodi Sulpizio, Jodi Rose, Interfaith Partners For Chesapeake, As Watershed Champions  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Jayné Park-Martinez Sparks Conservation Efforts  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Master Watershed Stewards, Master Gardeners Hold July 26 Webinar On How To Participate In Native Tree & Shrub Sale/Fundraiser, Tips On Planting, More!  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Asks PA Supreme Court To Reverse A Commonwealth Court Decision Saying West Chester Stormwater Fee Is A Tax  [PaEN]

-- Watershed Alliance Of York Accepting Applications For Riparian Forest Buffer Grants [PaEN]

-- DEP Secretary Introduces Bevin Ann Buchheister As New Acting Deputy Secretary For Water Programs  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posts Draft Final Chapter 105 Environmental Assessment Alternatives Analysis; Will Discuss At Agricultural Advisory Board Meeting July 18  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On Draft NPDES General Permit (PAG-04) For Discharges From Small Flow Treatment Facilities

-- PennFuture Releases Model Municipal Warehouse Facility Zoning Ordinance To Help Manage Impacts  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Highlights Stream Surveys; Restoring Rivers; Juniata Flood Risk; Meeting Over Mussels; More  [PaEN]

-- DEP Secretary Negrin To Citizen Activists: ‘We Don’t Represent Chevron, We Don’t Represent Shell And I’ve Made That Absolutely Clear-- We’re Holding Those Leaders Accountable’  [PaEN]

[Posted: July 13, 2023]

7/17/2023