Community Engagement

Featured Interns

Student standing next to poster board. Text from the poster board follows: West Chester University. Assessing the Environmental Goals of Local Municipalities to Create Partnerships with Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association Noah Buckwalter, Student, Department of Political Science Dr. Linda Stevenson, PhD, Professor of Political Science West Chester University of Pennsylvania. CRC Watersheds Association. Chester, Ridley, Crum. The Organization. Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association (CRC) is a local nonprofit that works to improve the health and safety of the Chester, Ridley, and Crum watersheds. The organization performs stream clean-up events, tree planting events, and public education events with community volunteers. Figure 1, CHESTER CREEK WATERSHED Showing approximately 25 flags, each flag on this watershed map is a CRC stream clean-up site. Figure 2, community volunteers clean up after a successful tree planting event. MS4 Reporting. Municipalities are responsible for reporting their goals and progress for their storm water waste management to the federal government through MS4 forms. The Project. I am working with the Executive Director of CRC to contact local governments within Chester, Ridley, and Crum watersheds in order to form partnerships. CRC's tree planting events help to mitigate storm water runoff into local waterways, and they fulfill requirements for local MS4 reporting. The goal of this project is to collect as much data as possible from these local governments, and compile a report of possible partnerships to the CRC team. Importance. Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association is doing essential work to protect local waterways. These streams are home to countless plant and animal species, and their water eventually makes it's way into the region's homes. Protecting them is to protect the local community, and to preserve natural beauty for generations to come.

Noah Buckwalter

Spring 2022

Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association

Newtown Square, PA

Noah interns with the Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association (CRC). Regarding his experience, Noah said, “I help the nonprofit perform tree plantings around the three watersheds, as well as maintenance events to ensure the trees' survival long after planting. At these events, CRC works with community volunteers to dig, weed, mulch, and place cages around various species of native trees. Planting native trees ensures that the local ecosystem has a variety of helpful plants, and less harmful invasive species.

While it may seem that there are already enough trees in the watersheds, their placement is key. Planting trees near local streams and rivers is important to keep them healthy. The roots of these trees catch and filter stormwater runoff that brings fertilizers and harmful chemicals into the waterway. The streams and rivers that CRC services are a main source of local drinking water, so helping the environment is also helping our neighbors!

I am also currently helping CRC reach out to local governments and attempt to build relationships leading to new tree planting sites. The more areas that we are able to improve with tree plantings, the safer and healthier our water will become. I love getting outside, working with my hands, and making a difference in the local community."

 

Kortni Elion