The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy

Jessica Kemper (or Jessie) is an Ursinus College alumna with a degree in Environmental Studies who has had a number of jobs in the environmental field during her early career. For six years now, however, she has been working with the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy (PWC) to improve the health of this watershed in the Philadelphia suburbs. The work builds on a lifetime of connection to forests.

Jessie developed her love for nature and forests as a young child. Her father is a nature lover who inspired her love of forests through activities such as hiking. These activities fostered a bond with her father and the trees. As an adult, forests now play a large role in her life. Jessie goes out to the field almost every day during the warmer months of the year. As she explained to us, “I find it to be very therapeutic... I enjoy going for walks and hikes, so it helps in my personal life as well.”

By the time of our interview, the COVID-19 pandemic had been going on for more than 10 months and has now affected the lives of billions of people around the planet. Jessie believes that now, more than ever, forests and nature play a significant role in the well-being of communities everywhere. People need to be able to get out of their houses, go for walks and hikes, and get some fresh air; these are all activities that are beneficial to both their physical and mental health. The fact that everyone was locked up in their houses, working through zoom calls, and not having some separation from their families can become very suffocating. Jessie is no exception, saying that going outside and experiencing the forests is the “only time that you get to be alone in silence... it is more important now than ever before.”

A typical day working for the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy varies based on the season. The summer months are the most involved in terms of time spent at the Conservancy's many planting sites throughout the watershed. During the summer, the majority of their volunteer labor is used for making sure that previously planted plants and trees are well-maintained and as healthy as possible, and replanting when necessary. During the fall months, Jessie and her team focus on making sure everything is planted correctly and prepared for rough winter months. With the arrival of winter, the Conservancy's priorities shift to pruning and shaping up plants to ensure maximum growth and sun exposure. No watering occurs during the winter months.

Jessie works with volunteers to plant these trees from saplings, nurture them, and watches them grow. Putting so much energy into a living and growing thing allows for a person to build an intimate relationship with the trees they are taking care of. For Jessie, one of the most rewarding parts of her job is, “Seeing the progression of the forest and the positive impact that [she] has on the habitat over time.” Her visits to the forests she has helped plant over the years are even more special to her, since it reminds her of her childhood and makes her feel more connected to her dad.

While the forests she works with at the moment do not yet have a role in providing food for her community, Jessie is excited about new work with a pawpaw orchard on land adjacent to the Conservancy's office. She hopes that one day soon it will be able to supply her community with pawpaws. 

According to Jessie, over the years she has experienced a change in not only her own interactions with area forests, but also the ways that local communities interact with area forests. Involvement with the forests in her community are more prevalent in her life, because she is responsible for preserving the land and waters she calls home. But she also has seen how more and more people in her community are becoming interested in environmentally-friendly activities, stewardship, and tree planting. In part, she attributes this to the fact that more people are going out and engaging in recreational activities in area forests. Jessie believes this is beneficial because “people feel more connected to the forest and want to protect it.”

With the state of the forests and environment becoming increasingly unstable, it is important to have goals for managing forested areas. The includes active efforts to reforest parts of the watershed. Jessica believes that the most important tactic for getting people involved in this process is: “To show people why it is important and how [planting trees] will impact their lives and the environment they live in.” Another important focus that Jessica stresses is to focus on planting tree species that are native to the land. Native trees are easier to maintain and are better adapted to local conditions than non-native trees. While native trees require less work and resources, they increase the benefits of reforestation--providing key habitats and supporting the food webs for a plethora of native species.

As a non-profit organization, The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy is a non-profit relies entirely on grants, donations, and the expectation that the community will assist with their projects to fund and complete their work. When involving the community, it is important to educate volunteers properly, since many of them do not have a background in environmental stewardship or arboriculture. One of the major challenges that Jessie has faced is making sure that encroaching vegetation around newly planted trees is kept at bay. If a landowner is not properly informed about how to maintain these budding forests, new saplings could be overtaken by weeds and other nearby vegetation. Jessie finds that project success is greatest when they get landowners on their side and these stewards are both willing to learn new techniques and help implement them.

As a non-profit organization, The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy is a non-profit relies entirely on grants, donations, and the expectation that the community will assist with their projects to fund and complete their work. When involving the community, it is important to educate volunteers properly, since many of them do not have a background in environmental stewardship or arboriculture. One of the major challenges that Jessie has faced is making sure that encroaching vegetation around newly planted trees is kept at bay. If a landowner is not properly informed about how to maintain these budding forests, new saplings could be overtaken by weeds and other nearby vegetation. Jessie finds that project success is greatest when they get landowners on their side and these stewards are both willing to learn new techniques and help implement them.

With new residential and commercial development happening every year in the watershed, it is imperative for Jessie and her team redouble their efforts to expose people in the community and expose them to its benefits. Without this work, Jessie worries that residents might not understand the importance of the forests and the many benefits they provide the community. She urges community members to go to town meetings, voice their opinions about this importance, and help out in any way they can. Sustainable and environmentally friendly development is important, now more than ever.

As a group we learned a lot from our interview with Jessie Kemper. Being able to hear about what actually goes on behind the scenes of rebuilding and caring for a forest was very interesting and eye-opening. There are so many different aspects that go into a non-profit conservation organization that you would not think of prior to hearing about it first hand. In order for Jessie and her coworkers to maximize the success of the Watershed conservancy, they have to be skilled in many different things. The more obvious skill they must have is knowledge and experience of how to conserve the land and water. However important those skills are to their work, they must also be skilled in communication.

One of the most important aspects that is necessary for the organization to be successful is being able to connect and work with the community. We think that the most important thing that Jessie taught us is that when you work for a non-profit organization, you are completely reliant on other people for volunteering and helping to support the group both financially and physically. If Jessie is unable to get landowners and community members to cooperate it makes her job almost impossible. Community involvement and education is the most important key to successfully rebuild and properly manage forests.