Watershed Stewards Program - in partnership with AmeriCorps

Four people in waders trek through a stream while carrying walking sticks. The stream is surrounded by dense, low-hanging branches on both sides.

WSP Corpsmembers Kalvin Joe, Katharine Major, and Emily Cox surveying a creek with WSP Mentor Eric Ettlinger.

Meet WSP’s Current Corpsmembers and Mentors
Watershed Stewards Program logo. Reads: WSP. Logo is shaped like a water droplet, with mountains at the top and a fish jumping above a stream in the middle. The letters WSP are at the bottom.
AmeriCorps logo. Reads: AmeriCorps. Image depicts white A logo inside blue sphere with words AmeriCorps below.
California Volunteers logo. Logo is only text, reading California Volunteers, Office of the Governor

The Watershed Stewards Program (WSP) is dedicated to improving watershed health by actively engaging in restoration science, civic service, and community education while empowering the next generation of environmental stewards.

Apply to be a WSP Corpsmember
Apply to be a WSP Placement Site

WSP does this by placing its Corpsmembers with scientists (Mentors) at environmental organizations (Placement Sites) around the state to assist with watershed data collection and analysis, as well as restoration project development and maintenance. Ultimately, Corpsmembers serve with WSP to help bring threatened and endangered salmonids back to healthy populations by improving watershed health.

WSP Corpsmembers also provide watershed education to students at lower-income public schools using the program’s watershed science curriculum. They also recruit community volunteers to tackle watershed projects that local organizations might not otherwise have the resources to complete.

Funding Sources

  • California Conservation Corps
  • CDFW Fisheries Restoration Grant Program
  • AmeriCorps and California Volunteers Grants
  • Placement Site Partner Match

Key Program Accomplishments

  • Engaged 1,492 WSP Corpsmembers in watershed science for more than 29 years
  • Partnered with 86 different environmental organizations (state, federal, county, non-profit, and tribal)
  • Inventoried more than 45,969 miles through stream, riparian, and upslope surveys
  • Developed more than 1,984 Watershed Awareness Volunteer Events (WAVEs)
  • Engaged more than 30,221 community volunteers with hands-on restoration projects (WAVEs)
  • Instructed more than 55,310 students in watershed science and conservation
  • Conducted outreach to more than 336,185 students and community members

WSP In Your Community

  • WSP Corpsmembers teach the Wonders of Watersheds (WOW!) education series across California. WOW! is a series of five 80-minute interactive lessons pertaining to water usage, the life of a salmon, human impacts and interactions with watersheds, water conservation, solutions to pollution, and the importance of biodiversity.
  • WSP Corpsmembers lead field trips, teach five WOW! lessons to a single classroom, lead educational games, and organize service-learning opportunities for schools, after-school clubs, or community groups.
  • WSP Corpsmembers help with volunteer days and other outreach events. Corpsmembers can lead activities, present fish dissections, and engage audiences of all ages.
  • WSP Corpsmembers help you get involved with your watershed. WSP Corpsmembers organize hands-on volunteer events in their service communities.

 

Contact WSP via email at wsp.info@ccc.ca.gov to learn more and find out if Corpsmembers are available in your community.

If you are a young adult looking to gain more experience in the watershed and fisheries field visit WSP’s How to Apply page to start your journey.

WSP partners with restoration and conservation organizations every year. If you’re interested in having WSP Corpsmembers at your organization’s site visit our Placement Sites webpage to learn more.

WSP Offices

Eureka WSP (Region I)
1315 4th Street
Eureka, CA 95501
707-725-8601

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San Luis Obispo WSP (Region II)
1527 Madera Avenue
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805-835-8584

Learn About the History of WSP