Walton, NY -- The Watershed Forestry Bus Tour Program has funding available for field trips for groups studying the New York City watershed and working landscapes.
Any organization, community group, professional association, 4th through 12th grade classrooms or other interested party within the New York City area, Croton Watershed (Putnam, Dutchess, Westchester counties) and the Catskill/Delaware watershed (Greene, Delaware, Sullivan, Schoharie, Ulster counties) is eligible to apply for up to $3,000 toward field trip expenses. The deadline for application is November 1, 2010.
Guidelines and applications are available online at www.nycwatershed.org/edu_tours.html. Applicants can also contact Jessica Olenych at Common Ground Consulting at (845) 586-1600 or by email at [email protected].
The purpose of the Watershed Forestry Bus Tour Program is to raise awareness of the New York City water supply system from source to consumption. A group can visit environmental education facilities such as Clearpool Education Center or Frost Valley YMCA, or custom-design a field trip based on the group's educational objectives. Visits can be arranged to include New York City reservoirs, model forests, county parks, wood products businesses or other appropriate locations.
The Watershed Forestry Bus Tour Program is funded by the USDA Forest Service and New York City Environmental Protection through the Watershed Agricultural Council's Forestry Program. For more information, visit www.nycwatershed.org.
Common Ground Educational Consulting in Arkville, NY implements the program.
The Watershed Agricultural Council works with teachers throughout New York City and the watershed communities to improve awareness of clean drinking water and the Catksills environment. Every summer, the Council hosts a Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers (WFIT) that brings together 10 City and 10 upstream teachers to learn watershed education curriculum and connect classes on both sides of the tap. Bus tours are one way of helping students, and other groups, understand the journey water travels and the measures taken to protect water quality.
The Council works with over 1,000 farm and forest landowners in and around the New York City Watershed region. The Council currently partners with landowners on 20,000 acres of conservation easements that support farmland preservation efforts. The nonprofit champions economic viability of regional agriculture and forestry industries through the protection of water quality and land resources within the New York City watershed region. More information on the Watershed Agricultural Council can be found at www.nycwatershed.org.
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