By Kelly Jedrzejewski, Penn State News

After three “unretirements,” Gary Grahl was looking for his next challenge when he trained — at 70 years old — to become a volunteer in the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program.

In 2019, the Master Watershed Steward program was relatively new to Grahl’s home county of Berks. He said the program caught his attention because of his long-standing interest in nature and environmental conservation.

“As a Master Watershed Steward, I’ve met many other volunteers who appreciate the world around us and are willing to make the effort to learn about, and teach about, our wonderful world of water,” Grahl said. “Applying the knowledge and experience I’ve gained to the benefit of the community and the planet is heartwarming.”

Matt Neumaier, Master Watershed Steward coordinator for Penn State Extension in Berks and Schuylkill counties, said, “There are a wide variety of ways Master Watershed Stewards like Gary contribute at the local level, from hands-on projects to education and outreach. Having volunteers who are trained in science-based best management practices means the public can trust the work that they do.”

Over the years, Grahl has enjoyed participating in many activities as a volunteer. He engages with the public annually at the Master Watershed Steward exhibit at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

He also has created displays for Love Our Lake events and led youth-oriented activities involving macroinvertebrates. Love Our Lake is hosted by the Pennsylvania Lake Management Society to celebrate lakes in the Commonwealth.

“I really like working with school groups,” he said. “We take the students to streams to catch and identify the creatures that live there and explain the different creatures’ place in the life of the streams.”

In Berks County, the stewards engage in citizen-science initiatives, environmental restoration projects and educational programs.

The volunteers conduct monthly water testing and analysis at a variety of sites, including Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center.

Water quality testing involves monitoring the alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, pH and water transparency at sites, as well as sampling the macroinvertebrate, or water bug, population.

The group has begun planting riparian buffers, areas adjacent to a body of water with native trees and shrubs. These buffers are beneficial for filtering runoff, decreasing erosion and reducing stormwater effects.

Through his work as a watershed steward, Grahl also obtained additional training to become part of Extension’s Master Well Owner Network in 2022.

Similar to the watershed program, the Master Well Owner Network is a statewide initiative that trains volunteers to educate rural homeowners on the management of private water wells.

According to Penn State Extension, some 3 million Pennsylvanians rely on more than 1 million private water wells that serve farms and rural homes in the state.

Owners are responsible for ensuring the water quality of their systems, but many lack the knowledge to manage these supplies properly.

Research has shown that more than half of private water systems in the Commonwealth fail to meet one or more drinking water standards.

“I’m a resident of a private well neighborhood,” Grahl added. “The Master Well Owner Network training enabled and inspired me to get several of my neighbors to take an active interest in the health of their families and their wells. It’s not easy to get people to pay attention to something that’s in the background noise of life. The program helps us volunteers to cut through the noise.”

Neumaier describes Grahl as knowledgeable and committed.

“Gary’s insightful at informational events, helps monitor a local water quality data logger, participates in water quality testing, and has undergone additional training to become a member of the Master Well Owner Network,” he said. “He’s a pleasure to work with and a valuable asset to the program.”

To anyone considering joining a local Master Watershed Steward Program, Grahl said, “Come on in, the water’s great!”

The Penn State Master Watershed Steward Program provides extensive training in watershed management to volunteers who, in return, educate the community about watershed stewardship based on university research and recommendations.

The program was established to strengthen local capacity for management and protection of watersheds, streams and rivers by educating and empowering volunteers across the Commonwealth.

Anyone interested in becoming a Master Watershed Steward can learn more at the program’s website.

(Reprinted from Penn State News.)

Other Upcoming Penn State Extension Events

-- Penn State Extension: Upcoming Training And Events For Agriculture Conservationists

-- Penn State Extension 5-Part Backyard Stream Repair Webinar Series Starting Aug. 27

-- Penn State Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts 3-Part Conservation Cornerstone Webinar Series For Ag Professionals Starting Aug. 27  [PaEN]

-- September 14-- Celebrate The World Of Insects At Penn State's Annual Great Insect Fair In State College  [PaEN]

-- September 18-- Penn State Extension Local Comprehensive Plans In PA Webinar, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

-- September 19-- Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Cumberland County Gardening With Nature - Stormwater-Friendly Lawn Care Workshop.  Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th Street in Camp Hill.  7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

-- September 24: Penn State Extension Hosts Webinar On Community Forestry - TreeKeeper - A Tool For Tree Canopy Management  [PaEN]

-- September 24-- Penn State Extension Local Comprehensive Plans In PA Webinar, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. 

-- September 26-- York Master Watershed Stewards Host Tap Talk - Preserving York County Landscapes & Waterways With The Farm & Natural Lands Trust  [PaEN]

-- October 1: Penn State Extension Introduction To On-Lot Septic Systems Webinar. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

-- October 7-9: Penn State Extension’s Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training ‘Ag Conservation Keystone Training’ in-person workshop.  Penn State’s University Park campus.

-- October 15: Penn State Extension Installation/Permitting On-Lot Septic Systems Webinar. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

-- October 15-17: Penn State Extension’s Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training ‘Ag Conservation Keystone Training’ in-person workshop. Penn State Hazleton.

-- October 17: Penn State Extension Webinar - Adenosine Triphosphate In Algal Bloom Tracking  [PaEN]

-- October 19-- Swatara Watershed Assn., Master Watershed Stewards Host Waterways On Wheels - Swatara Rail Trail In Schuylkill County  [PaEN]

-- October 28-30: Penn State Extension’s Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training ‘Ag Conservation Keystone Training’ in-person workshop. Penn State Beaver

-- October 29: Penn State Extension Maintenance of On-Lot Septic Systems Webinar. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Resource Links:

-- Penn State Extension Watershed Friendly PA Certification

-- Penn State Extension: Why Did My Young Riparian Buffer Tree Die?

-- Penn State Extension: Guide Provides Advice On Managing Spotted Lanternfly

-- Penn State Extension: Shade Tree Commission Spotlight - Lewisburg Borough

-- Penn State Extension: High School Students Learn About Tree Care

-- Penn State Extension: Arborist Short Course Series Starting Oct. 7

-- Penn State Extension: Is That Vine Damaging My Tree?

Related Articles This Week - Watersheds:

-- Sand County Foundation Selects 3 Finalists For Pennsylvania Leopold Farm Conservation Award  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Quality Board Approves Proposed Stream Redesignations For Public Comment; Votes Down Motion To Decouple Truck Emission Standards From California In 2 Years  [PaEN]

-- Secretaries Of Maryland Dept. Of Natural Resources, PA DCNR Discuss Water Quality Goals, Potential Interstate Trail Connections At Joint Event

-- Swatara Watershed Assn., Master Watershed Stewards Host Oct. 19 Waterways On Wheels - Swatara Rail Trail In Schuylkill County  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Oct. 17 Webinar - Adenosine Triphosphate In Algal Bloom Tracking  [PaEN]

-- Forests For The Chesapeake Bay News: Planning For Resilience; Loblolly Pine; Upcoming Events; News Around The Watershed

-- US Army Corps Of Engineers To Sign Cost Sharing Agreement On Future Use Study Of Francis E. Walter Dam Reservoir In Carbon County  [PaEN]

-- Delaware River Basin Commission Recap Of Sept. 5 Business Meeting

NewsClips:

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster County Company To Be Featured In $1 Million Project To Define ‘Regenerative Poultry’

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: City Of Lancaster Getting More Trees, Thanks To A Grant From The GIANT Company, Keep PA Beautiful

-- LancasterOnline - Erin Negley: New Law Limits Grass Fertilizer In PA; Free Sept. 11 Webinar Teaches How To Feed Your Lawn

-- Williamsport Sun: Just 3 Floating Classroom Programs Left For This Year

-- PA Resources Council What’s Up Watershed: Beautiful Your Yard With Three Native Plants!

[Posted: September 12, 2024]

9/16/2024