Volunteer Opportunities

Adopt-A-Shoreline/Weeds Watch Out
Invasive aquatic plants can wreak havoc on local lakes and rivers by crowding out native species, clogging
navigational corridors, altering the food chain, and decreasing recreational activities like swimming and boating.

By adopting a shoreline, you can help monitor a number of invasive aquatic plants in a local waterway. Your reports can also help discover and address newly arrived invaders before they become well-established!

Adoption of a shoreline involves learning to identify a handful of invasive aquatic plants, and then filling out a monitoring report form 1-2 times per summer that describes what you do or do not find along your section
of shoreline. Then you mail or email
your findings to watershed educators
at CCE. it's that easy!

For more information, call (315) 424-9485.


Water Chestnut Pull
Water chestnut is an invasive aquatic plant that clogs many lakes and rivers. In Central New York, volunteers help control the spread of water chestnut in Oneida Lake and the Three Rivers System.

Because water chestnut is an annual plant, it can be controlled by "weeding" it out before it drops its seeds.

Volunteers make a big difference at hand-pulling events and quickly fill their canoes and kayaks with all the water chestnut plants they've removed. Its easy too, just grab the cluster of floating leaves and pull! The plants come right out!

Scout groups, Rotary Clubs, youth organizations, and individuals have all helped in the effort. Hand-pulling water chestnut can help reduce infestations and prevent the plant from spreading! You can pull water chestnut whenever you see it - but to be involved in an organized hand pulling event watch the Listing of Events (June-August).

To learn more about water chestnut
click here.

Onondaga Creek Cleanup
Each fall Cooperative Extension organizes two Saturday work days when volunteers pull together to help clean up a stretch of Onondaga Creek in the City of Syracuse. Pending good weather, volunteers take to the creek by land and by "sea" Water teams put on their wading sneakers and fill canoes with trash from the streambed. Land teams pick up the streambanks and assist with unloading the canoes and hauling trash to the dumpster. Extra elbow-grease, boats, and pick up trucks are always needed. To find out how you can involve yourself or your community organization in this year’s clean up, watch the calendar. Information will be posted as the event draws near!


Storm Drain Stenciling
Many communities around the Syracuse area have separated sewer systems, meaning that there are 2 distinct sets of pipes to transport sewage and stormwater. The sanitary sewer system carries sewage to a wastewater treatment plant. The stormwater sewer system carries rain water from streets and parking lots and empties into a nearby stream or lake. Many people do not realize that the stormdrain on their street empties directly into a nearby waterway without undergoing any kind of cleaning process.

Stenciling a phrase such as "DUMP NO WASTE: DRAINS TO CREEK" next to local stormdrains reminds people that nothing but rain should go down the drain. Stormdrains should never be used for the disposal of motor oil, leaves, paint, trash or other contaminants because these materials will end up in the closest waterway!

If your organization or group would like to help raise public awareness about stormwater pollution, call 424-9485. When volunteers help stencil and distribute educational door hangers to nearby residences, the result is cleaner waterways! Click here to view a slide show of completed stormdrain stenciling projects around Onondaga County (2005-2006).