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Education-AmeriCorps

Another year at AmeriCorps

Published September 16th, 2024 in Education-AmeriCorps

By Julie Lowe

I’m baaack! I am thrilled to announce that I will be returning for another year as the outreach and education leader for Umpqua Watersheds! This past year has been an incredible journey, filled with learning, meaningful connections and a deepened understanding of our community’s needs and the vital role of watershed conservation. Now, with a solid foundation and a clearer understanding of our community’s needs and goals, I am more excited than ever to expand our watershed and education and outreach programs. Building on strong foundations This year, my focus will be on enhancing our outreach initiatives and building upon the successful programs we’ve established. In particular, the Eastwood Nature Days, which provides an incredible education and nature experience for over 450 students in Roseburg, will provide a compass on which to build and expand our outreach and education opportunities throughout Douglas County and beyond. We will expand the week with an Environmental Education workshop for teachers, and are seeking grants to maximize this opportunity. Expanding our public radio station, 99.7 KQUA, is another special goal of mine this year. I’ll be working with area schools to provide an opportunity for students to use the station to learn about asking open ended questions, identifying information sources and experts for their projects, enhancing their communication skills and providing them a platform to question their world and find solutions as they conduct their own interviews for our show, “Living Downstream.” Specifically, my goals are to… Expand our educational programs: Rolling out new curriculum and interactive programs tailored for schools and youth groups, focusing on hands-on learning experiences that highlight the importance of watersheds, conservation and sustainability. Increase community engagement: Hosting more community events, workshops, and volunteer opportunities that encourage people of all ages to get involved, learn, and take an active role in protecting our local environment. Monthly events will allow people to get into the field, “roam” and learn about our watershed. Strengthen partnerships: Building strong relationships with local organizations, schools, and community leaders will be a key focus. By collaborating more closely with our partners, we can maximize our impact and reach more people with our message. Promote citizen science: Launching initiatives that empower community members to participate in data collection and monitoring projects. This hands

on involvement will not only contribute valuable data for our programs but also foster a sense of ownership and responsibility for our local watersheds. In particular, look for a volunteer workshop in November to train individuals in amphibian monitoring. Monitoring for northern red-legged frogs and salamanders will begin in January. Live and let friluftsliv Norway — and many other countries — have a culture which embraces concepts known as friluftsliv (enjoying the outdoors) and the “right to roam,” or the freedom to hike and camp almost everywhere. The Umpqua watershed brings that concept to life in me — an invitation to breathe, explore and live, so come join us this year for your own friluftsliv! That’s my mission and goal for this year.

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