Parvin Orientation

Oh boy, time for Parvin!

Week Two of NJWAP Orientation took place at Parvin State Park in Pittsgrove, NJ (Salem County) from September 30-October 3, 2013. I had a lot to look forward to: reuniting with the ambassadors after our first week at our host agencies, Project WET, and visual assessment training!

Monday was filled with Project WET activities as part of a training workshop. The Project WET Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that strives to achieve worldwide water education. The guidebook is filled with lessons that include water and soil testing, games, coloring, and other hands-on activities. I have utilized many, and my favorite is Molecules in Motion: a very simple way to show students how water molecules react in different states!

To conclude our first day, the first half of ambassadors (including myself) conducted their watershed tour presentations. Here's a little information about WMA 3:

• Includes the Pequannock, Wanaque, Ramapo, and Pompton River watersheds
• Part of the larger Passaic River Basin
• Numerous towns reside in Highlands Preservation Area or Highlands Planning Area
• Greenwood Lake in West Milford-- where new NJ fertilizer ordinance originated
• More than 2.5 million people served by reservoirs in WMA 3

Passaic River Basin, Passaic River Institute (PRI) (montclair.edu/csam/passaic-river-institute)

Tuesday was a busy day learning how to visually assess streams. We learned about how we record the data during the morning and then proceeded to visually assess a segment of Muddy Run near Parvin State Park. We analyzed various parameters including sedimentation, erosion, and channelization. Afterward, we ended the day with the other half of watershed tour presentations and a talk from Mike Hogan, the Volunteer Coordinator of South Jersey Land & Water Trust (SJLWT). Mike gave us information on various volunteer events he has held and offered to assist us with obtaining projects and service hours. I was excited to see someone from SJLWT at Orientation; I had the pleasure of being introduced to the Glassboro-based non-profit while attending Rowan!

Wednesday had Ariane and former NJWAP Amanda Lotto explaining to us how AmeriCorps data is used at NJDEP; it is thrilling to see how the information we analyzed is implemented in state regulations and policy! We then proceeded to practice Enviroscape model presentations as well as being introduced to a fun role-playing game called "NPS Live!" People act out scenarios in which NPS pollution occurs and discuss how to prevent that pollutant from entering our waterways. Trish Ingelido and other NJDEP employees assisted us in measuring our stride and working with our GPS units. It's imperative that we can visualize or pace out about 100m for our stream reach during assessments. Wednesday concluded with a bunch of team building exercises including one-minute speeches on any topic, grouping by similarities, and a scavenger hunt. My group was only one object away, and it turns out it was right by the starting point-- common milkweed!

Our final day at Parvin concluded with information on AmeriCorps paperwork & reporting, project documentation, and how to use the MyAmeriCorps Portal. Our team leaders (second year NJWAP), Joanna Marino and Zach Nickerson, assisted us with any questions we had so far-- they are great ambassadors, and I am excited to serve with them! After lunch, we ended Orientation with our AmeriCorps Pledge & Pin Ceremony; I felt grateful to be a part of this program, and looking back now as we approach the midway point, I cannot say anything but good things about NJWAP and the opportunities the program has provided for me!

(hopewwamericorps.org)