Stroud Water Research Center is proud to announce that we have been selected as the 2025 Outstanding Partner Award recipient by the Penn State Master Watershed Stewards (MWS) in York County, Pennsylvania.
Partnerships are the keystone of a successful Master Watershed Steward program, and we are honored to have worked alongside such a dedicated and forward-thinking group.
Since 2016, the Stroud Center has hosted and led annual, full-day trainings for York County MWS cohorts, introducing stewards to our interdisciplinary approach to freshwater science and watershed restoration. Over the years, dozens of York County stewards have trained on our campus, gaining hands-on experience in water chemistry, macroinvertebrate biology, riparian forest ecology, stream and watershed impairment, and practical restoration techniques.
Our entomology and restoration teams spend a full Saturday with each new class, providing not only technical training but also a broad introduction to the Stroud Center’s mission and science. These trainings offer a comprehensive picture of freshwater research and application — from aquatic insects to riparian buffers to emerging water-quality concerns — and often serve as a foundation for the stewardship priorities that follow.
In the past year, our partnership has expanded to support the growth of York County stewards’ salt monitoring initiative, including assistance with the use of EnviroDIY Monitoring Stations. While road salt is not always the primary focus in Chesapeake Bay watershed conversations, York County’s leadership in this area reflects the strength and initiative of its stewards — and we are proud to support that work.
We are especially grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such an engaged and committed community of volunteers and to continue working together to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems. We thank the Penn State Master Watershed Stewards in York County for this recognition and look forward to many more years of partnership.
