Karin Wulkowicz, right, is Berks County's new master watershed steward coordinator, and will work with volunteers to protect the region's water supplies. She will work with Kathryn Keppen, watershed coordinator for the Berks County Conservation District, to recruit and train watershed volunteers.

Karin Wulkowicz of Cumru Township has been named as Berks County’s first master watershed steward coordinator and will lead the county’s new Master Watershed Steward program, set to start next year.

The program is through the Penn State Extension and works much like the popular Master Gardener program that’s been in place in Berks County for years.

Volunteers interested in working to protect natural resources and educating others can apply to the program. If accepted, they will be required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of training and fulfill 50 hours of volunteer service.  Once certified as a master watershed steward, status can be maintained by volunteering for at least 20 hours and committing to at least 10 hours of continuing education each year.

“Anyone who has an interest in water quality and wants to make the world a better place is welcome to apply,” Wulkowicz said.

The master watershed program will work closely with organizations such as Berks Nature, Trout Unlimited and the Berks County Conservation District, which already address issues related to local watersheds.  “I see this new program as one that connects everybody,” said Kathryn Keppen, watershed coordinator for the Berks County Conservation District. “My job will be to connect Karin with the various stakeholders.”

Assuring that Berks County’s watersheds are healthy is essential to the quality of water, Keppen explained.  “A watershed has more to do with land than it does with water,” she said. “It’s all the land that drains to a certain area, and what happens on that land affects the water.”  While water  quality has improved since the enactment of the Clean Water Act during the 1970s, water sources remain susceptible to the effects of stormwater and runoff from pesticides, oil, pet waste and other factors.  “We’re looking at how we can mitigate damage and maintain those water sources as clean and healthy,” said Wulkowicz, who also is a Master Gardener and an environmentalist.

Anyone interested in becoming a master watershed steward is invited to attend an informational meeting Jan. 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Berks County Agricultural Center in Bern Township.  Volunteers must be 18 or older, or participate with a parent or guardian if younger than 18.

“We’d love to have everyone from students to retired people,” Wulkowicz said.  Classes to train volunteers will start in mid-March and be held Thursday evenings at locations throughout Berks County.  Once certified, master watershed stewards can expect to participate in activities such as stream restoration projects, stream cleanups, habitat improvement programs, water quality sampling and stream assessments.  Because education is a big part of the Penn State program, volunteers could participate in projects at schools or teach a group of interested people how to build a rain barrel.

“What we’re going to be doing is turning our volunteers into citizen scientists who can help educate the public about these important matters,” Wulkowicz said.