Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay recognized Teddi Stark as Our 2021 Pennsylvania Watershed Champion

It was with great pleasure that the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay recognized Teddi Stark as our 2021 Pennsylvania Watershed Champion at  “The Taste: Celebrate 50 Years” on September 23rd. Teddi is a warrior for riparian forest buffers. We recognized that her passion for the reforestation of our watershed and leadership at DCNR has resulted in increased funding for buffers in Pennsylvania and for the Alliance.

Teddi is currently the Watershed Forestry Program Manager at DCNR Bureau of Forestry, within the Rural and Community Forestry Section. She is a contractor employed by Western PA Conservancy. Teddi began her career in natural resources as an AmeriCorps for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Watershed Conservation Program in 2009, where she rapidly realized focusing on watershed restoration made perfect sense as a career path. Following her AmeriCorps experience, Teddi spent nearly seven years as the Watershed Specialist at Juniata County Conservation District before returning to WPC in her contract role with DCNR in 2017.

In her time with DCNR, Teddi organized the Riparian Forest Buffer Advisory Committee, expanded the annual Riparian Forest Buffer Summit (attracting around 300 attendees annually), and helped develop the riparian forest buffer component of the Correctional Conservation Collaborative program. She has served as the coordinator for the Forestry Workgroup for the Phase III WIP for the Chesapeake Bay and as an associate director with the PA Envirothon Board. Teddi also helped build the DCNR Watershed Forestry Team from a three-person crew working only on buffers to a five-person team that also works on the new Lawn Conversion program and helps attract over $3.6 million in outside grant funds to help bolster Watershed Forestry work in Pennsylvania.

 

Hey Teddi-- its been great working with you these years. I appreciate all your ability to juggle on the fly. Your meetings are always well-run and productive. Don't give up!! We need caring, hard-workers such as yourself in our corner. Best, Sally

Sally Claggett
USFA

Teddi - thanks for ALL you do for our Pennsylvania forests!

Kate Fritz
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

Congratulations Teddi! We are lucky to have your commitment at DCNR. Thank you for being such a positive and fun light to work alongside. Keep jumping into those dirty PA streams! Remember that time the guys at Huntingdon were stunned when you right went into a stream, shoes, clothes and all without hesitation and starting flipping over rocks?! You go girl.

Shea Zwerver
PA DCNR

Congratulations on being recognized Teddi! Your passion for your work, your genuine interest in partnership, and your personable character make it a great pleasure to work with you. You are always looking for ways to advance efforts to restore watersheds, improve the Bay, and educate the public about the landscape around them. I look forward to planting more trees with you in the future!!

kelly rossiter
PA DCNR

Congrats Teddi! I met Teddi when she was working for Juniata Co Conservation District - where she had envisioned making, of all things, a rural based golf course a restoration site that would provide nearby farmers an accessible and visible place to learn more about riparian buffers and stream improvements in a low-pressure environment. Most of the farmers in this immediate proximity were not likely to be golfers, but all were able to see the work that was underway - and the eventual improvements. On paper, I thought the project seemed a bit odd. In person and upon meeting Teddi, it was clear that she had a way of bringing together people, partners, and places for conservation wins. Since that time - I've appreciated Teddi's "can-do" spirit and willingness to champion projects that are out-of-the-box thinking with clear conservation outcomes that benefit landowners, communities, and the agencies vested in their success.

Kristen Saacke Blunk
Headwaters LLC

I had the privilege to work alongside Teddi during her 7 years at the Juniata County Conservation District, Teddi was an inspirational free spirit with a passion to change the world and the Environment. I knew she would go far and strive to do her best in any organization.
Congratulations Teddi on being the Pennsylvania Watershed Champion.

Brent Leach
Juniata County Conservation District

Teddi continues to be the woman I aspire to be: she is compassionate, empathetic, encouraging, inspiring, and enthusiastic. Her leadership in the Riparian Forest Buffer Advisory Committee is something I try to emulate in my own work. She brings people together and tackles tough discussions with a listening ear and an understanding voice. She is an exceptional Pennsylvania Watershed Champion. Thank you Teddi for all you do on behalf of the Commonwealth and all partners.

Brenda Sieglitz
Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership

Congratulations Teddi! Your never-ending energy and enthusiasm are making great things happen in PA. So well deserved!!

Katie Ombalski
Woods and Waters Consulting

I met Teddi in 2009 when she started as an AmeriCorps for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. This photo of Teddi is from a day when we were out visually assessing streams. Her love of the outdoors and working in a water conservation profession shows via her happy smile! She is a great person to work with and know. Congratulations!

Alysha Trexler
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

Teddi - Congrats on well-deserved recognition. Your tireless energy and can-do spirit are wonderful encouragements for the forested buffer community. You have found many ways to say "yes" to a host of requests and invitations, all for the betterment of PA's waterways and those who work on their behalf. Keep up the great work!

David Wise
Stroud Water Research Center