NJ Watershed Ambassador Program

AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassadors and Their Benefit to the Host Agency

Alexandra Walczak

Former Ambassador for WMA 8

Raritan Headwaters Association

NJDEP Water Education & Outreach Programs

AmeriCorps NJ Watershed

Ambassadors Program

Hosted by NJDEP’s Division of Water Monitoring and Standards

20 Ambassadors in the 20 watershed management areas of the stat

Members work with a host agency located within each watershed

Members act as a liaison between NJDEP and the community

AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors Program

Apply directly through the National Service Portal

Requirements:Must have a 4 year degree

Must have a reliable car (lots of driving)

Willingness to learn and spend time outside

What you get-

Living stipend

Education award upon successful completion

Tons of Experience in:Project Management

Office skills

Public Speaking

Field Work

Environmental Community Service Program

Raise Public Awareness about Water and Watersheds (50 Presentations)

• Stewardship and Partnership Projects (8 projects)

rain gardens and rain barrels

stream clean ups

training workshops

• Water Monitoring (40 Assessments)

AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors Program

NJ Watershed Ambassadors

Watershed Stewardship • What is it?

• Behavior change

• Volunteer participation


Partnership Projects

Stream & Park Clean-ups

Community Day Events

Water Festivals

Rain Barrels & Gardens

Tree Plantings

Watershed Hikes/Tours

Bioblitz

Invasive Species Pulls

Watershed Education and Outreach

Goal: Reducing water pollution through behavior change

for a cleaner & healthier �J

~Best way is to inspire and educate the next generation~

Completed 78 presentations


Watershed Stewardship Projects

Volunteer Monitoring Training

• Biological and Visual Assessments of water quality

• 2 with RHA and 3 with community groups

Priority Watershed Project

DEP assigns or Ambassador to picks area of interest within watershed

I was assigned 4 sites by DEP and then picked an additional 12 sites with RHA’s assistance

I worked with RHA to fill in gaps in their stream monitoring program

Helped to train new volunteers that would take over locations in future years

Data submitted to both DEP and RHA as a final report

What did I get out of this experience?

Tons of Experience in:

• Project Management

• Completed 10 stewardship projects plus host agency project

• Time Management and Office Skills

• Public Speaking- 78+ Presentations

• Numerous opportunities to develop this invaluable skill

• Field Work

• Close discussion and coordination to meet both your goals

• Routine and learning about Quality Control

• Networking and Life Long Friends

Thank You