COURT HOUSE – There’s a new face in town, and this one is interested in collecting water quality information, giving presentations on clean water and championing partnership projects in which the public helps make a difference in their communities.
Kristen Andrada is this year’s county Water Shed Ambassador, part of a program by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) whose goal is to engage communities to protect and improve water quality.
The DEP hosts the federal AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program. The program works with all sectors of the public to improve the state’s waterways, foster community-based environmental activities and empower residents to make responsible and informed decisions about their conduct and how it affects their local water bodies and larger watersheds.
“New Jersey water bodies are a valuable and vulnerable resource,” Andrada said. “As the most densely-populated state in the nation, New Jersey water bodies are greatly affected by human activities. One of the methods to address and reduce the negative impacts of human activities, and ultimately to improve the quality of our waterways, is to raise awareness of these effects and channel that awareness into stewardship.”
Already she’s started her education and raised awareness, attending meetings in Middle Township and Cape May Point, to learn about the issues. “I lived in Morris County, northern New Jersey, so the issues here in south Jersey are very different,” Andrada said.
“We were trained on freshwater resources and freshwater streams,” she added. “Cape May County is a peninsula surrounded by salt water and brackish waters. People here seem to be more concerned about water conservation and how not to pollute the waters, especially with plastics.”
At the Cape May Point Environmental Commission’s meeting, Andrada said she heard about plantings at Triangle Park, how they are managing Lake Lily, cleaning the beaches, promoting mosquito control and trying to reduce the use of plastic bags.
At the Middle Township meeting, she saw the planning board review applications, paying particular attention to the different zoning regulations to ensure lot coverage with impervious surfaces will not create or increase flooding because there is no place for the water to go when it rains.
“I want to connect with the community and connect with the environmental movement here,” Andrada said. “South Jersey is so different from the north Jersey where I grew up, that I want to explore it and learn more.”
As a 2015 college graduate in environmental sciences, Andrada applied for one of the 20 ambassador slots across the state.
She was asked to cover Cape May County. She currently resides in a college dormitory at Rutgers University Marine Field Station, Tuckerton. She hopes to find housing closer to the county for her 10-month role and will be using office space at the county’s Municipal Utilities Authority building in Swainton.
“AmeriCorps members come to us in September and graduate from the program in July,” Division of Water Monitoring and Standards Director Bruce Friedman said. “Throughout their 10 months of service, it’s remarkable to see all that they accomplish, engaging with New Jersey’s communities and providing stewardship opportunities. As the program approaches its 19th year, the ambassadors continue to establish strong partnerships within the environmental community. These relationships strengthen our communities and the ambassadors’ experience often leads to job opportunities after graduation.”
Through their partnerships, field work and thousands of presentations, ambassadors improve New Jersey communities by engaging citizens in science, stewardship, and education, he continued.
Members increase public awareness about the impact of litter and non-point source pollution on water quality, as well as the need to reduce nutrient sources such as fertilizers from reaching local waters.
The ambassadors are required to complete 1,700 hours of service, receive a stipend and some benefits. Members are eligible for an education award upon successful completion of the program.
“As an AmeriCorps member, it is my role to serve your community the best I can,” Andrada said. “Here in Cape May County, I give free presentations on local waterways, perform and train volunteers in stream assessments, plan clean-ups, build rain barrels and rain gardens for workshops, and attend local meetings to better understand your communities.”
Anyone interested in having Andrada speak to their group should email her at ambassadorwma16@gmail.com
Anyone interested in applying for an ambassador role should visit https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.
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