Community Watershed Advocate Program – the Watershed Institute (Sept 30 – Nov 4)

Community Watershed Advocate Program

When: September 30, 2026 – November 4, 2026

Where: Self-paced course mostly online with live sessions on October 7 and November 3, 5:30 p.m. at The Watershed Institute and on Zoom. Optional Hike, Meet, and Learn on October 10 at The Watershed Reserve starting at 9 a.m.

Cost: Free. Suggested Donation of $30

Registration Deadline: September 30, 2026

*This class is designed for individuals 16 or older. There are no diploma or experience requirements for this class. We do not recommend younger students as the material requires a certain level of reading comprehension, writing, time management in a self-paced/online environment, and critical thinking skills.

The Community Watershed Advocate Program gives community members the information and training they need to be effective advocates for water-related environmental issues in their communities. Through the online training modules and regular check-in/support meetings, participants will:

• Learn how flooding and water pollution are affecting your community

• Learn what actions elected officials, municipal staff and community members can take to reduce flooding and protect waterways

• Learn how community advocates can help by providing information and advocating for action to protect our watersheds

Participants can go through online modules at their own pace anytime between September 30, 2026 to November 4, 2026. There will be an active online discussions board moderated by staff at The Watershed Institute throughout the course. Participants will also prepare a local advocacy project that they can implement in their own communities.

During two hybrid sessions, participants will have a chance to meet and learn from other guest local advocates, discuss issues and tips for local advocacy, and engage directly with staff on environmental advocacy opportunities.

With your support in advocacy, we can better protect our watersheds from issues such as flooding, climate change, and overdevelopment.

If you have any questions about the class, please feel free to contact us at communityadvocacy@thewatershed.org