Helping the Community
El Paso project educates residents and youth on water issues
By Danielle Supercinski
The Upper Rio Grande Water Conservation Corps project in El Paso completed its first year of service providing water conservation and water quality education to more than 12,000 homeowners, farmers and youth.
Funded by AmeriCorps, a network of local, state and national service programs, the project had 17 members in 2006-2007 who each devoted 1,700 hours for full-time involvement or 900 hours for part-time involvement. For year one, these volunteers contributed 22,277 hours to the program.
“This project has not only made a difference in the lives of our community residents, but also on the members themselves, who are learning valuable job skills,” said Daphne Richards, the project manager and El Paso County Extension agent – horticulture.
Through this project’s educational programs, residents have received and used information on conserving water, dealing with water quality (salinity) issues and safely using of pesticides and fertilizers on farms, in landscapes, on sports and athletic fields and in parks. Additional information regarding well water testing for contaminants was also used.
The Upper Rio Grande project team has three focus areas: agriculture-, community- and youth-based water education programs. Each team completed many water-related projects during the first year (see the sidebar for more information on a few selected projects). The agriculture team worked with farmers and local agricultural-related programs, while the community-based team was involved in horticulture, landscapes, sports fields, parks, pesticide-use safety and in-home demonstrations and education. In addition, the youth-based teams worked on programs that will increase knowledge and skills in water, change behanviors associated with water conservation and quality and support 4-H-based water curricula delivery in schools.
“The members are also learning about leadership, conflict resolution, problem solving and other important life skills,” Richards said. “They are learning to become future leaders of their communities.”
Above photos: (Left) AmeriCorps members creating and putting together the mosaic before it was installed. The members of the horticulture team were the leaders on the creation of the mural. (Right) The horticulture team members are standing by the installed mosaic mural at a park in the city of Socorro, New Mexico.
Youth in the community benefit from these projects as well. County Extension agent 4-H leader Jimmy Rodgers conducts several projects focused on youth. Some of those projects include after-school programs, camps, youth education programs, educational exhibits and hands-on training. Additional information on these activities is in the sidebar as well. The horticulture team also worked with youth, cooperating on many activities with the 4-H team across project lines. In addition, the horticulture team participated in Habitat for Humanity activities and beautification projects.
More than 11,500 youth and homeowners were contacted through water education, recycling programs held at after-school events, summer camp programs, in-school programs and other special educational events. Agricultural literacy with water environmental topics and service programs were also conducted as part of additional training and educational programs.
Agricultural producers benefit from various workshops and demonstrations hosted by AmeriCorps members with topics such as irrigation efficiency, pecan fertilization, pesticide laws and regulations, weed control, water savings and pest management. From December 2006 through August 2007, more than 1,022 farmers were contacted through these events.
Of the 17 year-one AmeriCorps members of the Upper Rio Grande Water Conservation Corps project, eight members are returning for year two. The three-year grant is scheduled to end on August 31, 2009. After this, a new grant would need to be submitted in order to continue. Project partners include AmeriCorps, the OneStar Foundation and Texas Cooperative Extension.
In addition, Dr. Ray Bader, El Paso County Extension director, said the Rio Grande Basin Initiative (RGBI) has also played a part in this program by enhancing programming efforts of all agents involved in RGBI with volunteers doing educational programs addressing the same water issues.
“AmeriCorps is an excellent program from which all involved and served greatly benefit,” said B.L. Harris, Texas Water Resources Institute associate director and an early pioneer of the AmeriCorps program. “The people of El Paso receive excellent education programs delivered by enthusiastic and inspiring young professionals.”
The AmeriCorps members are volunteers, but receive a monthly living stipend for their time; in return, Texas Cooperative Extension gets firsthand experience with super potential future employees, Harris said.
“We are looking forward to making a difference in even more people’s lives in year two,” Richards said. “And (we hope) that many of our current AmeriCorps members will choose to work for Extension once they have completed their degrees.”
Above photos: (Left) AmeriCorps members planted trees in a Socorro city park. They also had a community clean-up at the park that same day. (Right) Members teach the local youth about recycling at the El Paso Solar Energy Association annual picnic.
AmeriCorps Projects
Agriculture-based Team:
- Installed weather stations in El Paso County
- Assisted with six water quality- and conservation-related on-farm agricultural programs
- Contacted farmers about well water testing, proper fertilization practices and soil-moisture monitoring in pecan orchards
- Prepared El Paso County Extension Office landscape for a community vegetable garden (to be completed in year two)
- Helped establish 11 CoCoRaHS, Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, sites on local farms
- Helped farmers learn about weed control and its connection to water savings in crops
Community-based Team:
- Assisted with establishing three Habitat for Humanity landscapes
- Assisted in maintaining two xeriscape demonstration gardens
- Planted 25 trees and built a mosaic dedication statue in a local park in the city of Socorro, NM
- Organized five community clean-ups
- Set up education booths at community events on various water-related topics
- Began a project to install a water conservation landscape at the home of a little girl who is battling leukemia
- Worked on the Sports Athletic Field Education (SAFE) program
- Distributed pesticide education pamphlets at various events and local nurseries
Youth-based Team:
- Water education activities in after school programs at various Parks & Recreation Centers
- 4-H club-based programs that promote water projects and activities
- In-school water curricula delivered at various elementary schools
- Educational exhibits/demonstrations at WaterFest, Recycles Day and environmental fairs
- Participated in local canned-food drive
