Stewardship

AmeriCorps: Watershed Stewards Program Member / Volunteer

Me collecting a bouquet of Parentucellia viscosa, I had previously scouted the area and marked zones with flags for easy navigation during the volunteer work day.

In 2011, I completed a ten-month program with AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Program. This was my second term as a national volunteer with AmeriCorps and it was a remarkable learning experience.

As a Restoration Technician at Sonoma Ecology Center, I completed my Independent Service Project, or culminating project. I organized and launched the Van Hoosear Weed Wipe Out to remove the invasive parasitic plant Parentucellia viscosa or yellow glandweed.

Parentucellia viscosa, a hemiparasitic plant that will literally steal nutrients from neighboring plants!

I recruited a crew of volunteers and together we removed 50 lbs, restoring 8,000 sq ft of habitat!

While this workday was the culminating project for my National Service, it was but one element of an immersive service learning program. AmeriCorps is akin to a domestic version of the Peace Corps. Thus we have intensive training from the start, for WSP this included becoming certified in Wilderness First Aid and Swift Water Rescue. Equipped with these certifications, our cohort was then scattered across the state of California to our various placement sites. I was stoked to be placed at Sonoma Ecology Center along with fellow WSP’er Danny.

One major project became the creation of the Nathanson Creek Native Plant Demonstration Garden, below is a gallery of some of the stages of working on this major undertaking. This project was completed with the help of many other AmeriCorps volunteers and massive support from the local community. Other service projects included building a new greenhouse at the Sonoma Garden Park, this tripled the capacity for the native species garden. In this space, I also worked alongside and trained students as EnviroLeaders as well as adult community volunteers. Together we propagated plants, monitored seedlings for pests, collected and cleaned seeds.

Through my experience with AmeriCorps I saw my potential as an educator. As a result of my time with WSP, I found my love for science. This experience put me on the path towards becoming a nature nerd and environmental educator.

 

 

The flyer I designed and published to recruit volunteers for my Independent Service Project.
The entire AmeriCorps WSP crew, the 17th year of the program. Based out of Fortuna, California, crew members hold up handmade signs representing their placement sites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nathanson Creek Native Plant Demonstration Garden