Four Ways to Be a Clean Water Warrior in March
If you are as excited about getting outdoors as I am, I encourage you to check out the many ways you can volunteer with us this March. Everything we do at Blue Water Baltimore is designed to result in better streams and healthier communities.
We are offering volunteer trainings in FOUR different programs this month!
Read on to figure out which one best suits your time and interests and, once you’ve decided, don’t forget to RSVP: some events have limited space, and we need YOUR help to achieve cleaner water in Baltimore!
TreeKeepers:
We are very excited to announce a new city-wide tree stewardship program: TreeKeepers! The first classes will be held this month on March 7th from 6pm to 9pm (this Thursday!) and March 16th from 12pm to 3pm. Classes are free and open to anyone with an interest in making their neighborhoods greener and healthier.
TreeKeepers 101 will give you lots of interesting data on Baltimore’s urban tree canopy and tree laws, while TreeKeepers 102 will be a hands-on class about tree biology, soil science, and planting.
After this two-part series, you will be certified as an official Baltimore “TreeKeeper” and will be eligible to be a planting leader at tree planting projects run by Blue Water Baltimore and other nonprofit partners.
Certified volunteers are also eligible for advanced classes on designing their own neighborhood tree programs, pruning, tree identification, and more!
Visit www.baltimoretreetrust.org to register today!
Adopt-A-Stream:
Adopt-A-Stream volunteers select a quarter-mile section of stream to monitor regularly for illicit discharges and other pollution incidents.
This long-running program has been incredibly important in providing us with data we can use to advocate for renovations to Baltimore’s stormwater and sewer pipes. We were recently awarded a grant to expand this program, so we will be offering trainings in water quality sampling using advanced instrumentation in just a few months—sign up for the intro training now so you won’t miss this great opportunity to enhance your skills!
We are still seeking at least ten more people to join this spring’s class of stream adopters. Our spring introductory training will take place Sunday, March 17th from 2:30pm to 4:30pm.
You can RSVP directly to me at [email protected].
Storm Drain Stenciling:
The storm drain stencil share is one of our best-known programs thanks to its visibility and accessibility for volunteers of all ages and levels of experience. You may have seen our work on the front page of the 2013 DPW calendar, or perhaps on a storm drain somewhere in your travels!
If you are interested in bringing educational storm drain paintings to your own neighborhood then we invite you to come to our stenciling training on Monday, March 18th from 6pm to 8pm. You will learn all about this fun project, from what paint works the best to how to obtain permission from the city or county for stenciling.
Please register by emailing Lisa.
Project Clean Stream:
One of the most direct ways you can support clean water in Baltimore is through Project Clean Stream.
You can lead other volunteers at a Project Clean Stream cleanup as part of this annual watershed-wide event that focuses on removing as much trash as possible in just one day—Saturday, April 6th this year.
If you want to take charge of a stream cleanup in your community, sign up for a site captain training on March 27th, March 28th, April 1st, or April 2nd.
Don’t wait until then to start thinking about it, though: all Project Clean Stream sites must be registered by Wednesday, March 20th so we can arrange trash pickup and order supplies!
Interested but April 6th doesn’t work for you? No worries, just email me and we will work with you to select an alternate date.
Contact me at [email protected] to learn more about how you can become a site captain for Project Clean Stream 2013.
These are just four of the ways you can volunteer this spring. Please check out our calendar for even more dates and details, and as always, please email or call me at 410-254-1577 x100 with any questions. I sincerely hope to see you at one of our volunteer events this spring!
