The Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program (AWSMP) welcomes a new crew of Watershed Conservation Corps (WCC) interns this summer to the watershed. WCC member Amanda Cabanillas, who is a photographer in addition to majoring in geology at SUNY New Paltz, took this picture of a damselfly emerging in Broadstreet Hollow Creek where the interns trained last week.
Damselfly, Broadstreet Hollow, June 2016. Photo by A. Cabanillas
Amanda’s first internship with the WCC was in 2013 and this is her third field season working Catskill streams. Amanda says, “I love it! I’m learning so much about stream science and geomorphology, and it’s really shaped what I want to focus on as I continue pursuing my academic goals.”
WCC interns will assist AWSMP with in-depth assessment of stream channels at monitoring sites this summer. But while they’re stretching tape across streams, survey crews often encounter interesting wildlife like aquatic insects, butterflies, birds, snakes, fawns and the occasional fisher or bear. Not a bad summer job!
Adult damselfly emergence from their aquatic larval stage. Photo by A. Cabanillas
The WCC is funded by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with Ulster County Community College (UCCC). The program employs students with natural resource or science backgrounds to join Catskill stream survey teams that work with local stream management programs like the AWSMP.
