PHILADELPHIA, PA — Su Ly visited the Audubon Discovery Center with his younger siblings last year. “We really enjoyed the space, especially the dock that juts out into the reservoir. Despite being right in our backyard. The Discovery Center feels like another world. It does not feel like it is in North Philadelphia. I wanted to work here because I want to spread and share awareness about the space with my neighbors in the community.”
Now in its fifth year, the Delaware River Watershed Fellowship aims to cultivate young environmentalists to be agents of change, to bring their knowledge and interest in habitat conservation to their communities, encouraging the enjoyment, use, and care of the natural areas in the watershed.
Fellows are engaged in a 12-week paid program at one of 23 Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River (AWE) environmental education centers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware that share a mission to collectively increase and enhance constituent access to and stewardship of the Delaware River watershed. Fellows work side-by-side with nature center staff on recreational activities on trails and waterways, habitat enhancement projects, community outreach and engagement.
Fellowships culminate in a Capstone Summit where each Fellow presents his or her research, findings, and experiences.
Says Ly, “I hope to get better at birding, being able to identify via sounds and sights. I would like to get a better sense of conservation techniques as well. I am excited for bird walks, community canoe days, and other community engagement opportunities. I am most excited about my Capstone project, which is construction of a Floating Wetland.”
Ly is a seasoned traveler and says: “It is hard to have a vested interest in something if you’ve never fully experienced it. I fell in love with preserving the environment, and made it my personal mission to do as much as I can for the Earth. I have many favorite natural locations, including the Delaware River by Pier 68, Schuykill River by the Art Museum, and FDR Park. However, my favorite of all time is in Cambodia on Mount Kulen. (aka Phnom Kulen – Phnom translates to mountain in Khmer). Mount Kulen is my all time favorite because it is considered a holy site, with intricate carvings into the riverbed, a waterfall to wash away all attachments, and overgrown temples. I love that area of Cambodia, with the temple ruins like Angkor Wat and Bayon. I love it because it is a testament to the Earth with the ability to reclaim and regrow what was once lost. The overgrown jungles are a testament of how the Earth heals without human intervention, and it shows a legacy once lost.”
Valuable experience and training will help prepare Fellows for a summer helping people connect with nature and informing their local communities about issues affecting the Delaware River watershed, the source of drinking water for 13 million people living in the region.
Details on 2022 Fellowship opportunities are here.
Fellows work 35-40 hours a week, June through August
Intensive training with supervising mentors as well as peers and Fellowship alumni
Fellows gain professional experience helping to plan and lead programs and activities connecting with community members.
Fellows focus their efforts on a selected Capstone Project and present their work at the end-of-program Summit.
There is a growing recognition of the lack of diversity, equity and inclusion in the environmental conservation field, and the Fellows program, now in its fifth year, intentionally engages diverse communities, especially those that have historically been left out of conversations about protecting our shared environment, in addition to promoting equitable access to its Centers and fostering socially responsible practices that will result in a healthier natural environment.
About the Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River
The Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River (AWE) aims to raise awareness and appreciation of the 13,500-square mile system, which provides clean drinking water for 13 million people. AWE is comprised of 23 environmental education centers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware that share a mission to collectively increase and enhance constituent access to and stewardship of the Delaware River watershed. Through aligned communications, joint programming and shared best practices, AWE works toward inspiring diverse communities and people empowered to sustain a healthy Delaware River watershed. Generous funding is provided by the William Penn Foundation. Visit watershedalliance.org for information about AWE centers and programming.
About The Delaware River Watershed Fellowship
Launched in 2017, the Delaware River Watershed Fellowship is a collaborative effort of the 23 AWE environmental centers and has become one of the flagship programs of the Alliance. Through the support of the William Penn Foundation, this program aims to increase engagement and action toward the protection and restoration of the Delaware River Watershed while increasing collaboration and capacity of AWE’s centers and expanding career opportunities for a diverse cohort of young adults from across the watershed. Over the past 4-seasons nearly 100 individuals have been hired to participate in this 12-week, paid summer program. Fellows receive basic watershed education training and gain hands-on experience in the field, serving as environmental educators and ambassadors with their host Center. See https://www.watershedalliance.org/delrivfellows/ for more information.
