AmeriCorpsAmeriCorpsNJ Watershed NJ Watershed

Ambassador ProgramAmbassador Program20062006--20072007

Presented byPresented by

Helen Edwards your watershed ambassador for Helen Edwards your watershed ambassador for Watershed Management Area 16Watershed Management Area 16

Cape MayCape May

AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps

A national service initiative started in 1993. A national service initiative started in 1993. AmeriCorpsAmeriCorpswas placed under the umbrella of USA Freedom Corps was placed under the umbrella of USA Freedom Corps in 2002. in 2002. Programs focuses on five areas:Programs focuses on five areas:

Public SafetyPublic SafetyEnvironment Environment Human NeedHuman NeedEducationEducationHomeland SecurityHomeland Security

Since 1994, 400,000 have served in Since 1994, 400,000 have served in AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps, , providing needed assistance to millions of Americansproviding needed assistance to millions of Americans

AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps State and NationalState and National

AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps funding is distributed to Governor funding is distributed to Governor appointed State Commissions, which in turn appointed State Commissions, which in turn distribute and monitor grants to local nonprofits and distribute and monitor grants to local nonprofits and agencies.agencies.

The NJ State Commission on Community and The NJ State Commission on Community and National Service is housed within the NJ Department National Service is housed within the NJ Department of State.of State.

This year, New Jersey was awarded 1 national This year, New Jersey was awarded 1 national funded grant and 16 state funded grants. funded grant and 16 state funded grants.

AmeriCorps + NJDEP = NJ Watershed

Ambassador ProgramHosted by NJ Department Environmental Protection’s Division of Watershed Management since 2000.

Members act as liaisons between DWM and the community.

Focus on community education, outreach & stewardship

NJ’s 20 Watershed Management Areas

AccomplishmentsAccomplishmentsOver the past six years Watershed Over the past six years Watershed Ambassadors have:Ambassadors have:

Completed over Completed over 3,0003,000 visual assessments and over visual assessments and over 1,6001,600 biological assessments on local waterwaysbiological assessments on local waterwaysPresented over Presented over 3,2003,200 Enviroscape demonstrationsEnviroscape demonstrationsGenerated volunteerism with over Generated volunteerism with over 40,00040,000 hours of hours of community participationcommunity participationFormed over Formed over 120120 sustaining partnershipssustaining partnershipsFed and clothed the homeless throughout NJFed and clothed the homeless throughout NJPlanted over Planted over 2,0002,000 trees and clean up trees and clean up 2525 tons of trash tons of trash from streamsfrom streams

AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps and Division of Watershed and Division of Watershed ManagementManagement

Watershed Education and OutreachWatershed Education and OutreachSchoolsSchoolsCivic OrganizationsCivic OrganizationsGeneral PublicGeneral Public

Watershed Monitoring Watershed Monitoring Total Maximum Daily Load (Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDLTMDL’’ss))Land use or Ground Land use or Ground TruthingTruthingTargeted Stream SegmentsTargeted Stream SegmentsNonpointNonpoint Source & Watershed Grant ProjectsSource & Watershed Grant Projects

Volunteer recruitment and trainingVolunteer recruitment and training

Host Agencies 2006Host Agencies 2006--20072007NJRCDSussex County MUASkylands CLEANPVSCHackensack Riverkeeper Inc.Great Swamp Education Center Union County Parks Dept. Upper Raritan Watershed Association NJ Water Supply AuthorityStony Brook Millstone Wtrshd. Assoc.

DRBCMonmouth County Office of Plng.Forest Resource Education CenterJ.C. Nat’l Estuarine Research Res.ACUACape May County PlanningCumberland County Impr.Auth.NJDEP: Southern EnforcementRancocas ConservancyMercer County SCD

Members Represent 3 OrganizationsMembers Represent 3 Organizations

Role of Host AgencyRole of Host Agency

Provide Office Space Provide Office Space and Suppliesand SuppliesDaily SupervisionDaily SupervisionGuidance and support Guidance and support for members and for members and objectivesobjectivesKnowledge of local area Knowledge of local area and communityand community

Member ObjectivesMember Objectives

Topic Areas:Topic Areas:

Needs & ServicesNeeds & Services

Member DevelopmentMember Development

Community StrengtheningCommunity Strengthening

Needs and ServicesNeeds and ServicesMembers give at least Members give at least 3030 watershed related watershed related presentations per WMA.presentations per WMA.They complete They complete 3030 Visual Assessments and Visual Assessments and 2020Biological Assessments on targeted Biological Assessments on targeted waterways. waterways. Members implement a volunteer monitoring Members implement a volunteer monitoring program by facilitating at least program by facilitating at least 55 monitoring monitoring trainings per WMA to community groups. trainings per WMA to community groups.

Public Education and OutreachPublic Education and Outreach

Project WETProject WET(Water Education for Teachers)(Water Education for Teachers)

Project WILDProject WILD(Wildlife in Learning Design)(Wildlife in Learning Design)

NJ WATERSNJ WATERS(Watershed Approach to (Watershed Approach to Teaching the Ecology of Teaching the Ecology of Regional Systems)Regional Systems)

Visual AssessmentsVisual Assessments

Visual Monitoring TrainingVisual Monitoring Training

What is a WatershedWhat is a Watershed

A watershed is the area of land, based on A watershed is the area of land, based on topography, that drains to a particular water topography, that drains to a particular water body.body.

Options for InvolvementOptions for Involvement

Tier A: Environmental EducationTier A: Environmental EducationTier B: StewardshipTier B: StewardshipTier C: Community AssessmentTier C: Community AssessmentTier D: IndicatorsTier D: Indicators

Tier A: Environmental EducationTier A: Environmental Education

Data Users

•Participants•Students•Watershed residents

•Promote stewardship•Raise their level of understanding of watershed ecology

•Low level of rigor, but use sound science•Wide variety of study designs are acceptable•Quality assurance (QA) optional

Data Use Quality Needed

Tier B: Stewardship

•Participants

•Watershed residents

•Landowners

Local decision makers (optional)

•Gain understanding of existing conditions and how any changes over time

•Screen for and identify problems and positive attributes

•Low to medium rigor

•Variety of study designs is acceptable

•QAPP desirable

Data User Data Use Quality Needed

Tier C: Community and/or Watershed Level Assessment

•Local decision-makers

•Watershed association

•Environmental organizations

•Possibly DEP

•Assess current conditions

•Track trends

•Source track down of Nonpoint source pollution

•Medium level of rigor

•Data needs to reliably detect changes over time and space

•Study design is focused on pollution sources

•QAPP required

Data Users Data Use Quality Needed

Tier D: Indicators (visual and biological assessments, and water quality)

•NJDEP

•Local decision-makers

•Watershed associations

Environmental organizations

•Assess current conditions and impairments

•Supplement agency data collection

•Research

•Evaluate best management practices (BMP) measures

•Medium to high level of rigor

•Study design and methods need to be equivalent and recognized by agencies using data

•Training required

•QAPP required

Data Users Data Use Quality Needed

Biological AssessmentsBiological Assessments

Collecting the sample

Stream side sampling

Volunteer Monitoring and Volunteer Monitoring and AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps

Members train volunteers for the sole Members train volunteers for the sole purpose of stewardship.purpose of stewardship.

Volunteer Monitoring and Volunteer Monitoring and AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps

Data collected from Members fits into Tier B Data collected from Members fits into Tier B ((BiologicalBiological) and Tier C () and Tier C (VisualVisual).).

Opportunities for increased rigor, Tier C or D, Opportunities for increased rigor, Tier C or D, exist depending on the use of the data.exist depending on the use of the data.

Volunteer Monitoring and Volunteer Monitoring and AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps

All visual and biological data will be collected, All visual and biological data will be collected, reviewed, and distributed to data users within reviewed, and distributed to data users within the Division and the Department.the Division and the Department.

Member DevelopmentMember Development

Citizenship trainingCitizenship training-- Members will identify 2 Members will identify 2 municipalities for future interviews & municipalities for future interviews & attendance at town meetingsattendance at town meetings

Post program career plans for each memberPost program career plans for each member

Evaluated on ability to conduct and lead Evaluated on ability to conduct and lead monitoring techniquesmonitoring techniques

Strengthening CommunitiesStrengthening CommunitiesPartnership between two local entities Partnership between two local entities Examples include: Examples include:

Storm drain markingsStorm drain markingsStream clean ups Stream clean ups Restoration projectsRestoration projects

400 Volunteer Hours400 Volunteer Hours200 Volunteer Monitoring 200 Volunteer Monitoring 200 Watershed Stewardship Projects200 Watershed Stewardship Projects

Watershed Project with Host AgencyWatershed Project with Host Agency

Additional Sample ProjectsAdditional Sample ProjectsCommunity Day EventsCommunity Day EventsWater FestivalsWater FestivalsStorm Drain LabelingStorm Drain LabelingVolunteer Monitoring TrainingsVolunteer Monitoring TrainingsWatershed Hikes/Tours Watershed Hikes/Tours Stream CleanupsStream CleanupsTree PlantingsTree PlantingsCoordinate Water Quality Monitoring Efforts Coordinate Water Quality Monitoring Efforts for either Visual or Biological Methodsfor either Visual or Biological MethodsOther Water Quality Enhancement ProjectsOther Water Quality Enhancement Projects

Additional ProjectsAdditional ProjectsNJDEP

Clean Water Act § 319(h)Restoration Surveys

Urban Watershed Education Angler SurveysWetlands Violations

Host Agencies

National Service Days

Groups within WMA

Any Questions

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