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Summertime in the BelgradesContentsfor Printing Article Summaries |
Protecting the Cobbossee Watershed One Foot at a Time
by Shannon Brown A team of eleven local youth members have spent their summer working alongside, and at times in, the 28 lakes and streams of the Cobbossee Watershed. Part of the Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed's "Slow-the-Flow" program, this year's Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) team consists of 11 young adults working under the leadership of Program Director Jay Lindsey. Lindsey, a Winthrop High School science teacher during the academic year says, "I've had a great time working with this year's YCC team — they all exhibit a true dedication to the cause, they're doing great work, and everyone is having a good time too!" Launched in 2003 with volunteers provided from AmeriCorps*NCCC, in 2005 the Friends began employing local high school and college students to staff their YCC. In seven years, Friends YCC team members have now completed 155 projects on 14 different water bodies, protecting nearly five miles of Cobbossee Watershed shoreline. A typical day with the Corps is — to say the least — a varied operation. All projects are done by hand, mitigating the potential for further damage to lakefront erosion concerns. With worksites typically on the edge of a lake, many crewmembers, if not all end up in the water at some point of each job. Typical work involves transporting and placing rock, mulch, crushed stone and planting of buffers designed to "slow-the-flow" of sediments to the waters. "You can tell that our work will have a positive impact on the land when you look at the end results," said Erin Belanger, YCC crewmember. "Earlier this summer, we returned to a yard that we worked on last year. You never would have guessed that there had at one time been an erosion problem there. The work we do is definitely helping the lakes." With labor and engineering provided at no charge — landowners pay for materials only — the "Slow-the-Flow" program has flourished due to the generous support of business sponsors China Dine-ah, G&E Roofing and O'Connor Motors; member donations, and grant monies obtained through the Federal EPA Section 319 in partnership with the Cobbossee Watershed District and the KV Soil & Water Conservation District. Bob Moore, Friend's Executive Director, has been thrilled to watch the program transition over the years to where it now provides an opportunity to local youth. "Adding this component of sustainability and local stewardship is making a huge difference right now in helping to protect the Cobbossee Watershed," says Moore. "But even more importantly, it is a vital component of our entire educational program that is helping to educate tomorrow's stewards on the importance of watershed preservation." This year's YCC team will complete their last project on August 7. To have your property considered for a "Slow-the-Flow" project next year or to learn more about the Friends, contact their office at Shannon Brown is an AmeriCorps intern for Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed.
2009 Youth Conservation Corps members on Annabessacook Lake, one of 16 projects completed this summer on six lakes and ponds within the Cobbossee Watershed. | ||
