NFRIA-WSERC celebrates AmeriCorps Week 2012

Every day across the United States, more than 80,000 AmeriCorps members are making a powerful impact on the most critical issues facing our nation. They are improving schools, fighting poverty, rebuilding after disasters, providing health services, conserving our natural resources, and supporting veterans and military families.

March 10 to 18 marks the sixth annual AmeriCorps Week, which honors these public servants, salutes the 775,000 AmeriCorps alumni who came before them, and thanks the community partners that make AmeriCorps possible. Since the program begin in 1994, AmeriCorp members have completed one billion hours of service and acted as force multipliers by mobilizing community volunteers.

In western Colorado, AmeriCorps and the Office of Surface Mining have worked together to create the Western Hardrock Watershed Team. The team places AmeriCorps members in communities with a history of hardrock mining to monitor and protect water quality, increase awareness of resource conservation, and work to support a high quality of life for all community members.

"We are glad to be part of the Western Hardrock Watershed Team," says Sarah Sauter, executive director of the NFRIA-WSERC Conservation Center in Paonia. "AmeriCorps members have provided thousands of hours of water quality monitoring, data analysis, mapping, community education, and event organizing for the Lower Gunnison watershed."

Two Western Hardrock Watershed Team OSM/VISTA members are currently serving with the Conservation Center. Anna Santo is leading the charge on the Conservation Center's water quality monitoring efforts. The Conservation Center has been monitoring water quality for the North Fork watershed for over 10 years. This baseline monitoring information helps the county, state, and federal agencies determine water quality standards for our rivers and streams. Alex Johnson is developing a new website for the organization, as well as organizing a variety of community events throughout the year.

For more information on the NFRIA-WSERC Conservation Center, visit their website at www.

theconservationcenter.org, or call 527-5307.

For more information on the Western Hardrock Watershed Team visit their website at www.hardrockteam.org.

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