Message from the Director
Watershed neighborhoods
Watershed stewardship is a hot topic these days. But what is it and how does one learn to do it? Technically, a watershed is the region drained by a stream or river. And a steward is a person who cares for another's property. So, watershed stewardship is taking care of the land that provides flow to our streams and rivers. To me this boils down to being a good neighbor in an environmental sense because the watershed is really the neighborhood in which we live.
The art of being a good social neighbor has evolved over thousands of generations. Its essence depends less on obeying government regulations than on mutual respect, common sense and a good attitude. A great neighborhood springs from the desire of a group of individuals to live and work in harmony.
The consciousness of being a good "environmental neighbor" has arisen more recently, as the world has awakened to the need to preserve its environmental neighborhoods. Because we have waited so long, the teachers are different and the teaching is more intense. While earlier generations were rarely trained, either formally or informally, in environmental matters, we now have education programs in universities, public schools, parks, and even on television. These programs are based on hard science - the kind produced by scientists at the Stroud Center. The lesson plans are then developed by education specialists - such as those at the Stroud Center - who translate big chunks of technical science into meaningful tidbits of information that can be absorbed by lay people of all ages.
Stroud scientists and educators strive to provide the best possible science and environmental education materials because we believe that through them we can nurture the most effective watershed stewards and build the best environmental neighborhoods.
Bern Sweeney
Director
