Who is Eligible to Apply:

4th-12th grade teachers in New York City and the Catskill/Delaware/Croton Watersheds.

To see if your school is eligible, click here and find your location on the map.

Teachers who apply together from the same school are given special consideration.

Selected teachers will:

• Join other teachers from the Catskill/Delaware/Croton watersheds and NYC for a FREE workshop Menla Mountain Retreat, at the base of Panther Mountain
• Learn about watersheds, water quality monitoring, forestry, tree identification, the NYC water supply system, and the history of the Catskills Mountains and the NYC Watershed
• In addition to hands-on learning, teachers receive curricula, tailored to meet NYS Learning Standards, and reference materials covering each of the topics for use with students
• Receive more than 30 hours of in-service credit and a $200 stipend
• Be introduced to other watershed programs that you can take advantage of during the 2010-11 school year: The Catskills: A Sense of Place, Green Connections, Forestry Bus Tours, Project Learning Tree, and Trout in the Classroom

WFIT Mission:

The Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers (WFIT) began in 1999 as a partnership between The Watershed Forestry Program of the Watershed Agricultural Council, the Catskill Forest Association, the USDA Forest Service, The New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Its mission is to provide educators with knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to explore the connection between upstate watershed forests and downstate water quality. By providing this foundation, educators can effectively teach their students about the relationships among forest ecology, forest resource management, conservation, and water quality.

Watershed Protection for America's First Wilderness

The relationship between forests and water quality is critically important for children and adults to understand, especially in the Catskill Mountains and NYC. The Catskill Mountains supply New York City's 8 million people (and another 1 million north of the City) with 1.2 billion gallons of UNFILTERED water each and every day. The abundant and pristine streams within "America's First Wilderness" feed six massive reservoirs that release water into underground aqueducts that transport the water underneath the Hudson River, and into New York City, over 100 miles away.

Upon the signing of the historic 1997 Memorandum of Agreement between New York City and all of the Watershed townships, the rural communities in the Catskill Mountains are forever linked with the greatest city in the world.

Connecting Classrooms with Water Protection

The premise of this connection is water, the world's most precious natural resource. If the protection and stewardship of this resource is going to continue, these two very different environments and cultures must understand and learn from one another. The Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers is an initial step in educating youth, our future caretakers and stewards, about the importance and interdependencies of both the Catskill Mountains and New York City.

Our Commitment to NYC and Upstate Watershed Teachers

Twenty teachers from New York City and the Upstate Watersheds are brought together for one week, where they are provided background knowledge, materials, and resources necessary to educate their students about the importance of this unique conservation and water quality connection.
The hands-on, place-based activities, fieldtrips, and presentations give participants a much-needed "sense of place", about the local area that can be incorporated into their classroom teachings. Participants are given information and curriculum materials that meets classroom, district, and State Learning Standard needs. Graduates become part of a network of teachers who receive on-going support from resource professionals, as well as grant funding opportunities and free programs for students. We are confident that with our assistance, they can pass on this knowledge to New York City residents and the future stewards of the upstate drinking water supply.

APPLY NOW (application PDF)

APPLICATIONS DUE MAY 15th

CLICK HERE for a full list of activities