The Future Master Watershed Steward Program is a collaborative effort between Penn State Extension and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Bureau of State Parks.

Any group of youth, typically ages 11 to 18, led by an adult and interested in the local community, environment, and/or water resources can be an FMWS group!

Future Master Watershed Stewards can be existing groups of youth such as scout troops, school classrooms, 4-H clubs, church youth groups, environmental clubs, and others.

An FMWS group could also be a newly formed group of youth just for this program, such as a small group from your neighborhood, church, community center, or other gathering place.

Future Master Watershed Stewards learn about water, get familiar with their local water community, and take action to help improve local water!

They learn about water using existing project and curriculum materials provided by Penn State Extension and DCNR along with activities from other science-based resources, youth members of the FMWS program learn about water properties, water use and conservation, and water quality.

A big part of the FMWS program is having youth make a connection with the water in their own backyard. We want youth to feel connected to the water that they impact the most.

Too often, learning about water involves lessons on familiar yet remote bodies of water, like the Mississippi River and the Atlantic Ocean, or isolated field trips to closer locations that are still outside of our home communities, like nature centers and state parks.

It is common for these lessons to leave youth with the impression that water conservation is something that only takes place at those sites, not in their own neighborhoods.

As part of the FMWS experience, youth are encouraged to find out which bodies of water they impact through the actions they take at home, school, or other places they frequent around the community.

Where Do I Start?

Looking to launch a Future Master Watershed Steward Program in your community?

-- Connect with a local Master Watershed Steward Coordinator

-- Join the Future Master Watershed Steward Contact List

-- Partner with DCNR State Park Educator to offer the Program on site and at area schools

Click Here to learn more about starting a group.

Visit the Future Master Watershed Steward Program webpage to learn more.  Questions should be directed to: AskaMWS@psu.edu or your local Master Watershed Steward Coordinator.

How Clean Is Your Stream?

The draft 2024 report has an interactive report viewer that allows you to zoom in to your own address to see if the streams near you are impaired and why.

Click Here to check out your streams.  Click Here for a tutorial on using the viewer.

Resource Link:

-- Penn State Extension Future Master Watershed Steward Program Scaling Up  [PaEN]

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- PA Assn. Of Conservation Districts Recognizes Conservation Award Winners  [PaEN]

-- PASA Sustainable Agriculture, Keystone Ten Million Trees Partnership Giving Away 100,000 Trees  [PaEN]

-- PennVEST Makes $257 Million Investment In 18 Water Infrastructure Projects In 13 Counties  [PaEN]

-- USDA Awards 2 Conservation Innovation Grants For Projects Benefiting Pennsylvania Totaling $7.1 Million  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Ag Progress Days To Feature 400+ Commercial & Educational Exhibits; Field Demos; Forest Management; Stream Buffers Tour In Centre County Aug. 13-15  [PaEN]

-- PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers Celebrate Successes Spotlight: Neshaminy Watershed Assn. Is Back And Better Than Ever In Bucks, Montgomery Counties [PaEN]

-- Registration Open! For Acid Mine Drainage Passive Treatment Course Set For Sept. 17-19 In State College  [PaEN]

-- Master Watershed Stewards Of Cumberland, Franklin Counties Host Aug. 26 Watershed Walk - Plant Identification In Letort Spring Garden Preserve, Carlisle, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

-- Registration Open! Penn State Extension 5-Part Backyard Stream Repair Webinar Series Starting Aug. 27  [PaEN]

-- Allegheny County Conservation District Releases Updated Development, Stormwater Data; Sept. 24 Workshop On Stormwater Trends  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Master Watershed Stewards Now Signing Up Volunteers For Training Sessions  [PaEN]

-- What’s The Future Master Watershed Program By Penn State Extension, DCNR?  How Can I Start A Group?  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Holds Aug. 1 Hearing On Water Withdrawal Requests For Amazon Data Center, Luzerne County; 8 Shale Gas Development, Gas Power Plant Withdrawals  [PaEN]

-- Reminder DEP To Hold July 23 Hearing On Water Quality Permit For Lehigh County Core5 Warehouse Project In Lowhill Township

NewsClips:

-- The Allegheny Front: States Like Pennsylvania Struggling To Access, Spend Federal Funds For Abandoned Mine Cleanup And Redevelopment

--- The Allegheny Front: Chalfant Run In Allegheny County Getting Federal Help To Clean Up Its Abandoned Coal Mine Pollution

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: A $40 Billion Critical Mineral Supply Chain Could Start In PA With Abandoned Mine Drainage 

-- Centre Daily Times: Plans For 1,000 Acre Ampliform/Project14 Solar Energy Project On Abandoned Mine Lands In Rush Twp., Centre County Move Forward, Questions And Concerns Remain

-- Lancaster Farming: Farmers Gain Conservation, Innovation Funds In PA State Budget 

-- StateImpactPA: PA Waterways Contribute To Chesapeake Bay Earning Its Best Grade In Over 2 Decades In This Year’s Report Card

-- Scranton Times: Chesapeake Bay, Its NE PA Watersheds Of The Susquehanna, Lackawanna Rivers Show Improved Aquatic Health

-- The Daily Item Editorial: Progress Is Certainly Good, But Work Remains In Chesapeake Bay Watershed

-- Stormwater Solutions: Hanover, York County Leveraging Community-based Public-Private Partnership To Fund Green Water Infrastructure

-- York Daily Record - Brian Whipkey: Chop And Drop Projects Are Happening Across The State In Wild Trout Waters, Here’s Why

-- WHYY: FEMA Announces $2 Million+ To Help Flood-Prone Eastwick In Philadelphia

-- Citizens Voice: Residents, Officials Still Await Decision On Federal Flood Maps Appeal From 2021

-- Delaware RiverKeeper July 19 RiverWatch Video Report

-- Erie Times: Lake Erie Was At Record Levels In 2019; Where Things Stand Now And a Forecast 

-- Erie Times: NOAA Seeks Advisory Council Members For Proposed Marine Sanctuary In PA Portion Of Lake Erie

[Posted: July 16, 2024]

7/22/2024