aawsa.org
Annapolis, MD - Each year the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy (WSA) honors volunteer Watershed Stewards and the environmental professionals who support their action for clean water. The Watershed Steward of the Year is awarded to a Steward who excels in engaging their community to reduce pollution. The Consortium Member of the Year is awarded to an environmental professional who makes a significant impact on projects for clean water. The Watershed Steward and Consortium Member of the Year Awards were presented at WSA's Annual "Spring into Action" Conference on Saturday, March 25th at Annapolis High School in Annapolis, MD.
Watershed Stewards are community leaders who engage communities to reduce polluted runoff. To become certified, Stewards complete an intensive, research based, hands-on training including a capstone project in their community. Stewards work with neighbors, businesses, schools and houses of worship to install projects such as rain gardens or conservation landscapes that capture polluted runoff. Collectively these actions add up to better health for our local waterways.
The WSA Consortium of Support Professionals is composed of over 80 governmental, non-profit and business professionals who provide technical assistance to Watershed Stewards as they move their communities to action.
This year, WSA renamed its Watershed Steward of Year Award in honor of the first recipient, Ann Jackson.
Ann Jackson Watershed Steward of the Year Award
The Ann Jackson Watershed Stewards of the Year, Candy Dayton, Dawn Taft, and Thom Marston were honored for their dedication to clean water and their leadership in the Anne Arundel Patapsco River Alliance (AAPRA). This generous and committed trio is the backbone of AAPRA. Candy and Dawn are co-founders, and when Thom became a Watershed Steward he jumped right in! This small but mighty organization has a big impact, and it's all thanks to the leadership of these three Stewards!
WSA Consortium Member of the Year Award
Jennifer Carr was the 2023 Consortium Member of the Year for her work as the Director of Restoration with Arundel Rivers Federation. Jennifer leads watershed restoration projects ranging from small native plantings to large-scale living shoreline and stream restoration projects. Most recently, our teams have been working together on the St. Mark bio-retention Project in Hanover. Jennifer is not only an outstanding restoration professional but is also so great at coordinating partners and other stakeholders, providing thoughtful guidance to communities taking on new projects, thinking creatively about funding opportunities, and excellent with building relationships with the communities she works with. Jennifer is also a certified Watershed Steward and was lucky enough to have the incredible Ann Jackson as one of her mentors.
Read more about our Ann Jackson Watershed Stewards of the Year and Consortium Member of the Year in our blog: aawsa.org/blog
Ron Bowen Environmental Legacy Award
The Ron Bowen Environmental Legacy Award honors the impact of WSA co-founder, Ron Bowen, by recognizing an individual who makes a unique contribution to environmental stewardship in Anne Arundel County by connecting government or institutional resources with private sector investments to generate significant environmental actions. WSA presented the family of Ken Pensyl, former Program Manager for Sediment, Stormwater and Dam Safety divisions of Maryland Department of the Environment the 2023 award. Read more here.
About WSA: The Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy (WSA) trains and supports community leaders to become Master Watershed Stewards. Stewards take action with their neighbors to address the problem of storm water pollution and restore local waterways in Anne Arundel County. Watershed Stewards Academy is located at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center. We are grateful for this tremendous partnership with Anne Arundel County Public Schools, connecting Stewards with the latest environmental literacy initiatives. Since 2009, Anne Arundel Watershed Stewards Academy has certified over 300 Watershed Stewards from Brooklyn Park to Herring Bay.
More information on the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy may be found at aawsa.org or by contacting Sara Ballesteros, Development and Communications Manager, at sara@aawsa.org or (410) 222-3831.
