Watershed Specialists are Making a Difference
By Producer, Kelly Meinhart

y now you may have heard about Pennsylvania's Watershed Specialists who are out there in the field — hired to help you with your Growing Greener grant and watershed projects. They provide educational programs and trainings, help to organize your watershed association, provide technical assistance, and work with the County Conservation District offices to offer mini-grant programs for protection and restoration programs. If you haven't already, you'll want to contact the watershed specialist in your county right away and begin your connection to a wealth of watershed opportunities, networks, and knowledge.

have had the pleasure of meeting several of the specialists so far, whether at meetings or out in the field, and my sense is that they are an energetic crew who knows how to get things done. In Speaking with two individuals, I received the following responses;

arryl Speicher, for Monroe County reports, "I certainly cannot speak for my peers but I'm confident that many of them share my feeling that the educational component of the position is one of the most important and enjoyable parts of the job. General outreach and interaction with the public in building awareness on watershed resources and issues from our position is extremely gratifying. From the meeting rooms of local governments, classrooms full of fourth graders and guiding folks through a swamp or bog we watershed specialists can see first hand how important understanding of environmental concerns are to ensuring the quality of life for the community today and in the future."

arryl works with watershed groups throughout the Monroe County area to form partnerships, provide educational and technical assistance, and also acts as a motivator to make things happen. For instance, he is taking the lead to help the community within the Aquaschicola and Pohopoco watersheds get their watershed organization started. The group is well on its way to having their organization recognized by the state, and is planning an educational event for the spring to announce themselves to the public.

illiam Gothier, Specialist for Delaware County reports " Our program recently awarded five mini grants through out mini grant program. Awards were granted to a high school, civic association, lions club and 2 grass roots organizations. These groups work with water testing, riparian buffer restoration, and native tree growing. We offer them two times a year — in October and April. I also feel that planning contacts are vital. Many groups operate simultaneously in the same area. It would benefit these groups greatly if both were aware of each other and were able to prevent duplicate efforts. The Watershed Specialist is the vital link between these various groups to help in coordination efforts."

nother Specialist I've had the pleasure to work with is Steve Carbol out in Washington County. Steve trekked me all over the county to see first hand how mining is affecting this beautiful area. You can see Steve in a past video that aired on Watershed Weekly by going to the show archives link and looking for the Washington County Watershed Alliance.

his week I'm traveling out to Columbia County to meet with Hannah Fabrycki, one of two Specialists in that county to visit the Fishing Creek Watershed and then over to Montour County to see the Chillisquaque Limestone watershed.

o, if you haven't met your Specialist yet, please contact them by visiting or calling your County Conservation District office. They are a wonderful resource and one you must tap into for your watershed organization.