Congratulations, Cindy, on being the Alliance’s 2025 Pennsylvania Watershed Champion!

The Alliance’s annual Taste celebration presents an opportunity for like-minded clean water advocates to gather and celebrate our beautiful watershed and all we have accomplished to protect it. Each year at the Taste, the Alliance recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Chesapeake watershed through innovative thinking and developing impactful partnerships.

When Cindy Pizziketti became a Master Watershed Steward (MWS) with the dream to work in and foster the small creeks and streams she had enjoyed throughout her childhood, she had no idea how much the land impacts the health of our water, but quickly realized how much there was to do. She hit the ground running, exploring the many different projects the MWS are engaged in, including stream monitoring, trash cleanups, rain garden installation, leading youth programs, and of course, planting trees. She now has over 3,000 hours as a MWS and spends much of her time planting trees or ankle deep in the streams just as she envisioned.

Join us as Alliance CEO, Kate Fritz, sits down with Cindy to discuss the work she does in Pennsylvania and with the Alliance.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about some of the ways you dedicate your time and collaborate with the Alliance, and the work you do with us?

A: I’m so excited when it comes time for tree planting with the Alliance. Everyone laughs when I’m at at tree planting and says, “You know it’s Cindy, because you can hear her talking to the trees.” I always pull the tree out of its little pot, give it a pep talk, tell it it’s going to be a good tree, and encourage it to grow big and prosper. At first, I was just really excited about planting the trees. Now, I know the hard work of maintaining those trees. I’ve learned so much about [forest] buffers and the impact they can have on our waterways, in agriculture, and just in our natural landscape. Recently, I’ve also gotten to help with Project Clean Stream. I enjoy Project Clean Stream because it also feels like you’re making an impact. You’re going right to where the creek is and pulling trash out before it gets in there.

 

Q: Do you have a favorite story about your work with folks who might be interested in getting involved in conservation work?

A: One of the stories I would like to share is the “be the Lorax.” If you don’t have time to be out there planting trees, you can still be the Lorax for the water. The water has no one to speak for it, but in the state of Pennsylvania, the water is all of our waterways. If you see something, say something, because no one can be everywhere, monitoring what’s happening. The people of the Department of Environmental Protection will come out if you call them and follow up. I feel like anybody can do that!

 

Listen to the full interview below to learn more about Cindy!

 

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We hope you will consider joining us at the Taste this September to celebrate Cindy and the Chesapeake!

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