"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." — Pennsylvania's Margaret Mead

In 2024, the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program grew to 911 dedicated community volunteers in 42 counties who logged 44,233 volunteer hours across the state.

Since the program began in 2013, the total volunteer hours are 198,460, valued at $6.6 million.

In their collective efforts this past year, working with local conservation organizations, the Master Watershed Stewards--

-- Made over 90,060 personal contacts with Pennsylvania residents and shared information on protecting our water resources

-- Reached 129 MS4 stormwater management communities with qualifying stormwater education and outreach

-- Organized 116 workshops for local community organizations

-- Set up educational displays and engaged with residents at 266 community events

-- Taught students about the environment in 92 schools

-- 237 Master Watershed Stewards used their knowledge to support municipal boards and community watershed groups

-- Planted 29,107 trees and 28,411 herbaceous perennials

-- Distributed 502 rain barrels

-- Conducted water quality monitoring on 302 sites along 140 streams

-- Restored 18 acres of habitat and 8 miles of streams

Watershed Friendly Program

The Master Watershed Steward Program continued to build upon the Watershed Friendly Program by offering a Watershed Friendly Native Plug Kit sale to provide an economical way for Pennsylvania residents to incorporate more native plants in their landscapes.

Thanks to the sale, 20,200 native wildflowers, grasses, and sedges found homes in the landscape!

The initiative also included a webinar on Watershed Friendly Native Planting, attracting 469 registrants.

The Watershed Friendly program is a collaboration with the Nurture Nature Center and educates residents across the state on best practices to improve the water quality of their yards.

Once those practices are implemented, residents can apply to certify their homes as Watershed Friendly.

Future Watershed Stewards

The Future Master Watershed Steward Program was launched statewide as a collaborative effort between Penn State Extension and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) - Bureau of State Parks.

The program utilizes the DCNR’s Watershed Education curriculum for youth, typically ages 11 to 18.

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, or a newly formed group of youth just for this program. 

Master Watershed Stewards who took the Future Master Watershed Stewards training demonstrated increased capacity, knowledge, confidence, and intent to change behavior.

They also gained increased capacity to deliver water education to youth, demonstrated increased knowledge of how to use water education methods and curriculum, and increased their confidence to deliver a Future Master Watershed Steward program in their community.

Joined by new staff in Adams County, the regional program in Cumberland, Franklin, and Adams counties was split, allowing more focus, programming, and projects in Adams County!

Thank you to the Master Watershed Stewards for all the good they've done in 2024! 

Do You Want To Be A Watershed Steward?

(Photo: Bucks County Watershed Stewards at a tree planting.)

(Reprinted from Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy (bottom of page).)

Resource Links:

-- Master Watershed Steward Program - A Look Back At 2024

-- Engineering Careers In Conservation

-- Registration Open for 2025 Ag Water Webinar Series

-- Penn State Extension Offers Free Resources To Military Community

-- Winterkill In Ponds

-- Increased Prevalence Of Extreme Rainfall Events In Northeast US

Upcoming Extension Events

January 28--  Penn State Extension Conservation Cornerstone Webinar On Climate-Smart Ag Project (CARAT).  830 to 9:30.

January 29-- Penn State Extension Woods In Your Backyard Series (Part 3 of 9) - Trees and Shrubs For Different Sites And Objectives. 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

January 29-- Penn State Extension Webinar On Ice Melter Impacts And Reduction Strategy .  Noon to 1:00 p.m.

February 5-- Penn State Extension Woods In Your Backyard Series (Part 4 of 9) - Forest Ecology and Woodlot Management Techniques. 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

February 10-- Penn State Extension Hosts Webinar On Nitrogen - Crop Nutrient And Water Pollutant. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

February 11--  Penn State Extension (6 of 10) Pennsylvania Forests Webinar Seminar Series - Tree Communication.  Noon and 7:00 p.m.

February 12-- Penn State Extension Woods In Your Backyard Series (Part 5 of 9) - Providing and Enhancing Wildlife Habitat. 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

February 14-- DCNR, Penn State Extension Meaningful Watershed Education Workshop At Greenwood Furnace State Park, Huntingdon County. 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

February 19-- Penn State Extension Woods In Your Backyard Series (Part 6 of 9)  - Identifying and Controlling Invasive Plants In Small Woodlots. 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

February 24-- Penn State Extension Ag Water Webinar Series: PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' 101 For Farmers. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

February 26-- Penn State Extension Woods In Your Backyard Series (Part 7 of 9)  - Healthy Woods - Common Insects and Diseases. 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

March 3-- Penn State Extension Ag Water Series Webinar: Practices To Mitigate Flooding & Drought.  Noon to 1:00 p.m.

March 4-- Penn State Extension Webinar On Residential Stormwater Solutions - Rainwater Catchment Systems. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

March 5-- Penn State Extension Woods In Your Backyard Series (Part 8 of 9)  - Converting Lawns to Natural Areas (Meadows and Woods). 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

March 10-- Penn State Extension Ag Water Series Webinar: Tile Drainage In Pennsylvania. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

March 11-- Penn State Extension (7 of 10) Pennsylvania Forests Webinar Seminar Series - Hazard Tree Analysis.  Noon and 7:00 p.m.

March 12-- Penn State Extension Woods In Your Backyard Series (Part 9 of 9)  - Putting Your Knowledge To Work - What’s Your Plan?  Map it Out. 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

March 17-- Penn State Extension Ag Water Series Webinar: Where Does Water Go?  Watersheds & Mapping. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

March 19-- Penn State Extension Pond Management Series (1 of 4). Noon to 1:00 p.m.

March 24-- Penn State Extension Ag Water Series Webinar: Countywide Clean Water Plans - Beyond 2025. Noon to 1:00 p.m.

March 26-- Penn State Extension Pond Management Series (2 of 4). Noon to 1:00 p.m.

April 2-- Penn State Extension Pond Management Series (3 of 4). Noon to 1:00 p.m.

April 8--  Penn State Extension (8 of 10) Pennsylvania Forests Webinar Seminar Series - Forest Resilience Scorecard for PA.  Noon and 7:00 p.m.

April 9-- Penn State Extension Pond Management Series (4 of 4). Noon to 1:00 p.m.

May 13-- Penn State Extension (9 of 10) Pennsylvania Forests Webinar Seminar Series - Tree Nuts in Pennsylvania.  Noon and 7:00 p.m.

June 10-- Penn State Extension (10 of 10) Pennsylvania Forests Webinar Seminar Series - The Use of Slash Walls to Exclude Deer and Regenerate Native Forest Tree Species.  Noon and 7:00 p.m.

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- PennVEST Approves $288.2 Million Investment In 39 Water Infrastructure Projects In 24 Counties; Almost All Federal Funding Now Frozen  [PaEN]

-- New Federal Administration Issues Executive Order Declaring A National Energy Emergency; Order Repealing Other Energy, Climate Orders; Regulatory Freeze  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw To Introduce Bill To Use Revenue From Taxing Gambling Skill Games To Support Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program  [PaEN]

-- Registration Open! Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance June 4-5 Mine Pools As Beneficial Resources Conference At Bucknell University  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program - A Look Back At 2024 [PaEN]

-- Master Watershed Steward Bethany Canner Leads Community Events In Lebanon County  [PaEN]

-- PASA Sustainable Agriculture Recognizes Innovation, Collaboration In 2025 Pasabilities Awards  [PaEN]

-- PA Grazing Lands Coalition Now Accepting Applications For Educational Mini-Grants  [PaEN]

-- Agricultural Producers: Use CHEMSWEEP To Dispose Of Unwanted Pesticides On Your Farm Until March 31  [PaEN]

-- Delaware River Basin Commission To Hold Feb. 5 Hearing, March 12 Business Meeting  [PaEN]

-- NOAA Now Accepting Applications For K-12 Environmental Literacy Grants For Delaware Bay Watershed; Applicant Webinars  [PaEN]

-- DCNR, Penn State Extension Feb. 14 Meaningful Watershed Education Workshop At Greenwood Furnace State Park, Huntingdon County  [PaEN]

-- Take Action Now! Chesapeake Bay Foundation Urging Watershed Citizens To Support Designation Of Eastern Hellbender As An Endangered Species   [PaEN]

-- ‘Hellbender Defenders’ Say Endangered Species Listing For North America’s Largest Salamander Is Long Overdue  [PaEN] 

-- Warren Times: Our Biggest Resolution - Our Commitment To The Planet That Sustains Us - By Mac Dawson, Nature Educator, Audubon Community Nature Center   [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Billions Have Been Allocated To PA From Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure, Inflation Reduction Acts, New Administration Ordered Halt To Disbursements  [Water Infrastructure, Mine Reclamation, Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging, $396 million in RISE PA decarbonization funding]

-- CanaryMedia.com: Executive Order Freezes Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act Funding For 90 Day Review [Water Infrastructure, Mine Reclamation, Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging, $396 million in RISE PA decarbonization funding]

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: ‘Ticking Time Bombs’: Nearly 100 Coal Ash Dumps Pepper Chesapeake Bay Watershed

-- LehighValleyLive: PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Sewage Sludge Fertilizer May Pose Risk To Humans, EPA Warns

-- JD Supra: EPA Identifies Significant Concerns For Ag Producers Due To Biosolids That Contain PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’

-- Williamsport Sun Letter: Endangered Listing Long Overdue For Eastern Hellbender - By Anna Pauletta, One Of Original Hellbender Defenders As A Student

-- WHYY - Zoe Read: 3 Years After Hurricane Ida, Study Aims To Prepare Communities Along The Brandywine For Future Storms

-- Delaware River Basin Commission Seeks Members For Several Advisory Committees

-- Delaware RiverKeeper Jan. 24 RiverWatch Video Report

[Posted: January 21, 2025]

1/27/2025