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| Clean Waters August 2010
"If you paddle around the mid-Atlantic region in the summer, you'll probably agree that a dip in the water feels pretty good. It's really a shame that water quality often precludes that dip. Even if you don't take a swim, you can't be a paddler and not get wet. So water quality is very personal for me," explains Jon Kesler, a principal engineer at MITRE. An avid paddler, Jon spends a lot of time kayaking and canoeing on Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Keeping the bay clean is something he takes seriously. Making the Connection In 2008, Jon learned about the Watershed Stewards Academy and its Master Watershed Stewards certification program from an acquaintance who knew Jon was interested in getting involved with environmental work at the local level. The Academy's mission is to provide a train-the-trainer program for volunteers who ultimately become community organizers and educators, providing outreach activities about stormwater management and leading stormwater remediation activities within their communities. The Watershed Stewards Academy is run jointly by the Anne Arundel County (Md.) Department of Public Works and the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center. It is funded by The Campbell Foundation, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Looking for resources to help get the program running, the Academy's director learned of Jon's background in organizational development and adult education and invited him to help design the curriculum in preparation for the charter class. "That was really rewarding and gave me a good opportunity to work with some of the mid-Atlantic region's leading environmental and education experts," says Jon. "My mantra as a Master Watershed Steward is that what you do in your own yard can and does make a difference for water quality in Chesapeake Bay." Taking Action During the year and a half Jon worked as a Master Watershed Steward in the Annapolis Roads community, he set up several events. A community picnic rain barrel sale added about 60 barrels to the community. Other events included a fish print station for kids, a seining activity in the Severn River, and a wade-in—a 20 plus year tradition started by Senator Bernie Fowler to bring attention to the declining health of the Patuxent River, one of the Chesapeake's major tributaries. He also helped develop grants for designing rain gardens tailored to soil and light conditions on residents' property and for installing two pet waste stations. Additionally, he established a Watershed Steward Committee to focus on storm water runoff issues. He explains that runoff from rain and melting snow either seeps into the ground or runs off to lower areas, making its way into streams, rivers, and the Bay. "Urban and suburban areas experience very little seepage of water, so most of their storm water becomes runoff, which, as it moves downhill, picks up substances such as pesticides, fertilizers, oil, and soap that pollute water and erodes stream banks." Jon says all of these actions have some immediate impact, but "the long-term impacts of outreach multiply over the years through people talking about runoff and the source points of pollution in our waters." Ongoing Efforts Jon just recently relocated to Vienna, Va., and no longer works as a Master Watershed Steward, but continues to work with the Academy as a member of the Board of Directors. "We are in the process of organizing the Academy as a 501(c)(3) corporation, moving away from the management and oversight of county government," he explains. "That was actually the original plan, and the funding from our private grant making bodies includes the requirement to establish an independent non-profit during the first three years of operation." Jon is currently working with other board members and the group's legal counsel to develop the by-laws and articles of incorporation. —by Joan Sheldon Page last updated: August 23, 2010 | Top of page |
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