Checking In with @waterkeepermark and Jill Jedlicka from Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper
This week for the Checking In series, Mark speaks with people from Waterkeeper Alliance member organizations about citizen science, Covid-19, and more. Here, Jill Jedlicka answers Mark’s questions.
Jill Jedlicka is Executive Director and Waterkeeper for Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper. Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, a Swim Guide Affiliate, works across the Niagara River/Lake Erie Watershed, which spans over 3,700 square kilometres in five counties. Jill Jedlicka has been with Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper since 2003 and served as the Executive Director since 2012. Under her leadership, the organization was awarded the North American Riverprize, an international competition for excellence in watershed and river system management.
MM: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your watershed.
JJ: My name is Jill Jedlicka, and I am the Executive Director and Waterkeeper for Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper. I am one of the original employees of our organization and have been with BNW for nearly 17 years in various capacities - including the last 8 years as Executive Director. Our team of 24 full-time professional staff serves to protect and restore nearly 1,400 square miles (3,626 square km) of the Niagara River watershed from our headquarters in Buffalo, NY, just minutes away from Fort Erie, Ontario. We share an international border with our amazing Canadian neighbours along two Great Lakes and the Niagara River!
MM: How connected is your community to the water?
JJ: Even though Western New York (WNY) is surrounded by freshwater resources, for generations our community was cut off from its own waterfront due to polluted waters, polluted lands, industrial sites, and highways. Many of our residents (myself included) had to literally travel to Canada to access our Great Lakes waterfront - where we would spend summers at places like Crystal Beach, Sherkston Shores, and Thunder Bay. It has only been recently that our community has started to re-establish its relationship with our WNY waterfront, and once again identify as a Great Lakes region. We help strengthen these connections through cleaning up and restoring local waterways, creating equitable access opportunities through physical improvements to the waterfront, engage over 3,000 volunteers every year, provide educational programs, and guide citizen advocacy.
MM: What is the role of water quality testing in your work? How do you share results publicly?
JJ: We have monitored regional water quality for nearly two decades, and that has not stopped even during the current pandemic (click here to learn more). We test consistently for 9 basic water quality parameters, as well as E. Coli, harmful algal blooms, and the occasional spill response. We produce an annual Water Quality Monitoring Report and have recently started using the interactive Water Reporter App to better share results with the community.
MM: Has the health pandemic affected your work? How?
JJ: Our offices have been closed for nearly 10 weeks, and all of our team members have been working remotely since then. Many of our group events, tours, and education programs have been cancelled or postponed. We are actively pivoting our programs to reflect the new normal of social distancing and digital activities. Many of our restoration design and construction projects have continued to move forward, uninterrupted. Many of our constituents still maintain enthusiasm and support for our mission, and we are looking at ways to safely engage with the public as the water season is now here!
MM: If you were a marine animal, what would it be?
JJ: Can I have two choices? For a freshwater species, I have always had a weak spot for baby sturgeon. They are about as cute as a fish can get, and the species' resilience and longevity is a great metaphor for our work. For an ocean species, I am enamored by cuttlefish....they are fascinating creatures, and the ability to change shape and colour depending on its surroundings is another great metaphor for being adaptable - which is critical for any Waterkeeper.
MM: Is there a role for citizen science in your watershed?
JJ: We have two longstanding programs that train and engage citizen scientists, and is a core element to our mission. Our RiverWatch Program, trains and mobilizes hundreds of volunteers for our water quality monitoring efforts every year. Our RestoreCorps program, trains and mobilizes dozens of volunteers for targeted habitat restoration activities, invasive species management, and other ecosystem trouble-shooting efforts. In recent years, we have started to grow our Volunteer Ambassadors program which recruits long-time volunteers for intensive training, and the VA's often help our staff team in outreach and communication to the community. Ecosystem science is the basis for many of our restoration efforts and education programs - the more we can educate citizens, then the more progress we can achieve in reclaiming our once forgotten and polluted waterfront.
Read more from the Checking In with @waterkeepermark series here.
Connect with us on Twitter, @LOWaterkeeper and @waterkeepermark.
