Chesapeake Conservation Corps Host Organization Cover Sheet 2013 – 2014

Chesapeake Conservation Corps
Host Organization Cover Sheet
2013 – 2014
www.chesapeakebaytrust.org / 410-974-2941
1.
Applicant Information
Street Address:
Center for Environment & Society, Washington
College
101 S. Water St.
City/State/Zip:
Chestertown, MD
County:
Kent
Main Telephone:
410.810.7161
Web Page:
http://www.washcoll.edu/centers/ces/
Legal Applicant Federal I.D. Number:
52-0591691
State Legislative District:
District 36
U.S. Congressional District:
1st District
Executive Director:
Dr. John Seidel
Executive Director’s Telephone:
(800) 422-1782, ext. 7756
Executive Director’s Email:
Jseidel2@washcoll.edu
Name of Application Writer/Initial Contact:
mhardesty2@washcoll.edu
Contact’s Title:
Assistant Director, Center for Environment & Society
Contact’s Telephone:
410.699.1940
Contact’s Email:
mhardesty2@washcoll.edu
Name of Corps Volunteer Mentor:
Dr. Christian Krahforst
Mentor’s Title:
CES Mellon Fellow
Mentor’s Telephone:
410.810.7487
Mentor’s s Email:
ckrahforst2@washcoll.edu
Number of Corps Volunteers Sought
1
Name of Organization/Legal Applicant:
2. Type of Organization (check one):
Non-profit organization
School
Community associations
Service, Youth, or Civic Groups
Institutions of Higher Education
Local government (county or municipality)
X
1
Unit of State Government
3. Organization Mission:
The mission of the Center for Environment & Society (CES) is to promote the integration of
environmental and social values. The Center explores the reciprocal relationship between humankind
and the natural world-past, present, and future-through interdisciplinary learning, research, and
exemplary stewardship of natural and cultural resources in the Chesapeake, the region, and the world.
4. Types of Activities in which a Volunteer Corps Member will be engaged (see “Corps Volunteer
Eligible Activities” section above for description of each activity type. Check all that apply.
Watershed Restoration
Energy Conservation
Agricultural
Forestry
Environmental Education
X
X
5. General Liability Insurance: Does your agency currently have general liability insurance for its
volunteers?
Yes
X
No
Partnership Application Electronic Signatures
In submitting this partnership application to become a Chesapeake Conservation Corps Host
Organization, we attest that all information provided is true to the best of our knowledge.
02/22/13
Date
Signature of Legal Applicant Director
02/22/13
Signature of the Host Organization Mentor
Date
Thank you for applying to be a Chesapeake Conservation Corps Host Organization!
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Chesapeake Conservation Corps
Host Organization Narrative Instructions
2013 – 2014
www.chesapeakebaytrust.org / 410-974-2941
Please include a narrative, not to exceed 4 pages, addressing the following:
1) Activities: Please describe the types of watershed restoration, energy conservation, agricultural and
forestry, infrastructure, AND/OR education activities in which the Corps Volunteer(s) will be engaged.
A.) Develop a comprehensive creek and habitat restoration plan for Radcliffe Creek
(Chestertown, MD). A comprehensive Radcliffe Creek restoration plan was identified as an
important priority in the Middle Chester River Watershed Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS).
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/irc/docs/00013864.pdf. A Chesapeake Conservation Corps Volunteer
(CCCV), with the assistance of staff at the Center for Environment & Society (CES) and other
members of the Middle Chester River Watershed team, will draft a plan through a one-year
stakeholder process that identifies and prioritizes management actions for Radcliffe Creek and
that meet the goals presented in the RAS and/or modified through this process. Stakeholders
include (and are not limited to) citizens, the Town of Chestertown, Maryland Dept. of Natural
Resources (DNR), Kent County Soil and Water District, U.S. Geological Survey, and the Chester
River Association (CRA). Representatives will form a Radcliffe Creek Restoration Team. The
Plan will target and prioritize best available management practices that may restore habitat and
improve public awareness. Value added projects may include improvement of public access and
scenic overlooks of Radcliffe Creek, through linkage with the newly completed “Rails to Trails”
path in Chestertown.
B.) Augment Chester River Ecosystem Assessment Efforts for the Chester River Watershed
Observatory (CRWO). CRWO is a pioneer observatory that will allow us to take the pulse of
every aspect of the watershed. It will be melded with hands-on, experiential learning
opportunities for formal and informal educators throughout the Chester River watershed. The
CCCV will assist in CES efforts to (1) compile and make available Chester River water quality
data (e.g. CRA, National Coastal Condition Assessment, DNR, etc.) via the world wide web, (2)
develop innovative tools for analyzing and displaying Chester River environmental data and (3)
“design and assess” field testing strategies that effectively fill the gaps in monitoring and meet, at
a minimum, state and federal standards.
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2) Outcomes: Provide a list of quantifiable outcomes to be accomplished by the Corps Volunteer(s).
Examples might include number of rain gardens installed, number of volunteers engaged, number of
energy audits accomplished, number of green schools engaged, number of students reached, etc.
A.) Develop a comprehensive creek and habitat restoration plan for Radcliffe Creek
(Chestertown, MD).
a.
b.
c.
Formation of a Radcliffe Creek Restoration Team
Meeting Minutes
Creek and Habitat Restoration Plan
B.) Augment Chester River Ecosystem Assessment Efforts for the Chester River Watershed
Observatory (CRWO).
a.
Assist CES with the development of the Chester River Water quality database for
the Chester River Watershed Observatory through the GIS platform Chesapeake
Commons.
b.
Presentations of water quality assessments of the Chester River at the “Best of the
Chester” Forum sponsored by Washington College’s CES (a meeting of partners
in the Chester River Watershed Observatory) and at the 2014 Chesapeake
Watershed Forum.
c.
Conduct a knowledge gap analysis of the efforts of (a) and (b) above. Report on
gap analysis and include water quality monitoring strategies that would augment
our understanding of the form and function of the Chester River ecosystem.
Quantifiable Outcomes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Develop one creek restoration plan
Engaging 10 community leaders
Engaging 50 environmental leaders to advance the understanding of Chester River
ecosystems
Produce 150 Surfer® displays detailing water quality in the Chester River
ecosystem
Produce 1 contemporary and 1 projected landuse analysis of the Radcliffe Creek
sub-watershed
Support environmental education in 10 schools
3) Advancement of mission: Describe how the service of the Corps Volunteer will advance the mission
of the organization.
The CCC volunteer will advance our mission of stewardship by targeting Radcliff Creek,
a critical Chester River tributary, for restoration. CES was apart of the original Middle Chester
Watershed Restoration Action Strategy that identified Radcliff Creek as a target area. Current
restoration efforts on Radcliffe creek are critical but limited in scope. A restoration plan will
give CES direction to build upon these current efforts and implement watershed wide restoration.
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The plan will incorporate large parts of the urban center of Chestertown, located on the eastern
banks of Radcliffe Creek.
The Chester River Watershed Observatory (CRWO) is a long-term project that will
provide a pulse for the river and the watershed. Students from kindergarten through college will
be engaged through environmental education in data collection and interpretation. The
integrated scientific monitoring will be available for agencies, academics, resource managers,
and conservationists. The CCCV will provide critical staff support to develop a base network of
science to catalyze and direct restoration and stewardship in the Chester River watershed.
4) Key Staff: Describe the staff members who will work most closely with the Corps Volunteer. What
roles and responsibilities will these key staff have in supporting the Corps Volunteer’s activities?
-Dr. Douglas Levin, Deputy Director of CES
-Assist in supervising and mentoring the CCCV in designing and assessing water quality
field-testing strategies.
-Assist in mentoring and supervising CCCV in developing Radcliffe restoration plan
-Dr. Christian Krahforst, senior research fellow at CES
-Assist in supervising and mentoring the CCCV in designing innovative tools for
analyzing and displaying Chester River environmental data
-Assist in supervising and mentoring CCCV in developing Radcliffe restoration plan
-Mike Hardesty, Assistant Director of CES
-Assist in helping the intern assimilate into the CES community: becoming acquainted
with the WC campus, Chino Farms, and CES’ resources at large.
5) Work Skills Training: Please describe any formal or informal work skills training your organization
can provide to a Corps Volunteer.
CES will provide a variety of work skills training by engaging CCCV in field exercises, data
analysis, and coordination responsibilities. While convening a working group for the development of the
Radcliffe Restoration Plan, the CCCV will learn leadership and further develop administrative and
organization skills, gain experience in watershed or ecosystem-based management and the
implementation of best management practices while building upon her or his understanding of
ecosystem science. While conducting field work, the CCCV will gain experience in the use of state-ofthe-art water quality sample collection and instrumentation. Additionally, she or he will develop
analytical skills through the use of appropriate software to compile and illustrate information from
environmental data. CCCV presentations will assist in further developing important communication
skills.
Specific training will be provided for:
•
•
•
•
Stream/Creek assessments
GPS surveying and mapping
ArcView GIS software training
Surfer® software training
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•
•
•
Plan writing
Presentation skill-building
Organization skill-building
6) Budget of Matching Resources: Please provide a table indicating resources the organization
anticipates providing. Note that desk/office space, computer access, free or reimbursed parking on-site,
mileage reimbursement for program-related travel, and coverage under the organization’s general
liability policy for volunteers are requirements of participation in the program and should be listed as
match. Host Organizations are encouraged, but not required, to provide costs for the Volunteer to attend
one professional conference during the service term. If you plan to do so, please list those costs under
“Conference attendance costs” below. Host Organizations that have been matched with a Volunteer for
the past two consecutive years must provide 10% of the Volunteer Stipend in the second to last line of
the budget table. Please note that listing a resource below represents a commitment to provide that
resource. You are encouraged to use the following format:
Budget Lines
Value
Type of Match (Cash or In-kind)
Parking - required
$150
In-kind, intern provided with college
parking pass
Mileage Reimbursement - required
$250
Cash (intern will be able to telecommute)
Conference attendance costs optional
$450
Cash (Registration Fee, room and board
covered) Travel will be in-kind
Telephone/Internet - required
$500
In-kind (provided at housing and at work)
Office Space - required
$1000
In-kind
Volunteer training supplies optional
$500
In-kind
Boat time*
~10hrs x 150 =$1500
~40hrs x 100 =$4000
In-Kind
Housing**
$9,000
In-kind
10% of the Volunteer stipend
($1500) - required for threeconsecutive-year Hosts
NA
NA
TOTAL
$17,350
Budget Justification:
Boat time* will be provided as needed on our larger R.V. Callinectes (@$150/hr) or our smaller
R.V. Lookdown (@$100/hr ) for Chester River water quality data collection. CES will provide
all chemical reagents, water quality testing equipment, and lab space in-kind. Volunteer
housing** will be located at our 5,000 acre research farm in our education and research office.
The education and research office also provides housing for bird banding and field ecologist
interns at the Chester River Field Research Station, so the CCCV volunteer will quickly integrate
into the CES community.
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