SUNY Ulster, NYC DEP Head Outdoors To Mark 30 Years Of Unique Watershed Internship Program

STONE RIDGE, NY — SUNY Ulster and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection are marking 30 years of their Watershed Conservation Corps partnership, a summer internship program that placed 10 SUNY Ulster students in hands-on watershed and natural resource work this year.

The cooperative program was established through an agreement between the college and NYC DEP and has linked more than 200 students with professional scientists and engineers studying streams, creeks and rivers throughout the Catskills. This summer, six students worked with NYC DEP's Stream Management Program, while four others worked with the agency's Natural Resources Division.

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The six Stream Management interns assisted with field data collection in Catskill streams within NYC DEP's West-of-Hudson reservoir watersheds. Their work included topographic surveys, stream feature inventories, structure-from-motion photogrammetry, and monitoring and maintenance associated with the Catskill Streams Buffer Initiative.

"The Watershed Conservation Corps gives our students the opportunity to move from learning about environmental science to actually practicing it," Jennifer Guiher, Professor of Biology, SUNY Ulster, explained. "They are working alongside professionals, using field-based technologies and contributing to meaningful watershed projects. Experiences like these help students see where their education can take them and give them skills and confidence they can carry into their next academic or professional opportunity."

One of the interns, Maxen Rodriguez, said the work connected closely to his studies.

"This internship heavily correlates with my favorite subjects pertaining to environmental studies at SUNY Ulster. It has exposed me to various new subject materials as well as career opportunities. I am now anticipating delving deeper into earth and atmospheric science for my bachelor's degree as well as explore future DEP internship opportunities in water and data analysis. I do believe this opportunity has helped me explore another niche of environmental science and will help me in the future explore more opportunities in water science."

The four Natural Resources Division interns were based at NYC DEP's Kingston office and worked throughout the Catskill and Delaware watersheds in Ulster, Delaware, Greene and Sullivan counties, as well as east of the Hudson River in Putnam and Westchester counties. According to SUNY Ulster, they assisted with invasive plant management and removal, forest monitoring, and species surveys and mapping, and also conducted work tied to research on predator populations used in the biological control of the hemlock woolly adelgid and on dragonfly biodiversity.

On Aug. 13, the four Natural Resources Division interns presented their research at NYC DEP's Kingston office. The Stream Management interns also concluded the summer by presenting scientific summaries of their fieldwork to NYC DEP and SUNY Ulster staff and fellow interns.

"We value our 30-year partnership with SUNY Ulster, the meaningful contributions local students have made to NYC DEP's work, and our shared commitment to preparing the next generation of environmental professionals," said Jennifer Garigliano, Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Water Supply.