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Jenny Ursini
Hi there! My name is Jenny.
What to say. What to say? Well, since this is for the Watershed Stewards Project site, I suppose I'll start out with how I ended up working in Forest Knolls, CA. Let's begin at the
beginning: my parents are nature/outdoors people. Okay, now let's skip a couple of decades. Somewhere in the effort to find something I loved, I tripped over Psychology long enough to get a B.A. in the very subject from Northern Illinois University. I considered trying to take that education and meld it to my liking by researching and visiting wilderness therapeutic facilities. Upon deciding that I was not at all prepared for such an emotionally ravaging position, I joined the Maryland Conservation Corps as part of the Americorps program. This was a wonderful time had, and I learned a lot but not enough to fill me. So, I made my way back to IL and again explored the realm of the mind/body connection by working with amazing kids with Autism. This can be summed up in a word: growth.
This growing helped me to realize that I should search for alternate work.
I had applied to the Watershed Stewards Project, and then the start date changed, so I kept it on the back burner, so to speak, as I awaited some sort of response from someone or something somewhere. So, sure enough, Lindsay got back to me with her usual chipper emails, and things have since fallen into proverbial place. So, here I am! What fun! I love working with the people and fish at the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network. Coho are endangered and steelhead are threatened down in these nether reaches of the WSP, so, of late we spend our mornings monitoring for these salmonids in 3 different creeks. This is always led by the Executive Director, Todd Steiner, who is not afraid to work. If you want to meet some amazing, hardworking, talented, patient, and brilliant activists, you should come this way! This non-profit is exceptional, and there is experience from the scientific, to the ethical, to the restorative, to the educational, to the social, to the physical, and most definitely to the mental. Plus, the regular volunteers just can't be beat! Also, we have a lovely time trying to identify plants and birds, and we also have wonderful days of restoration and working in the Nursery planting natives and later transplanting them into the good earth. Okay, I've probably made it clear that I'd be happy to talk about this placement site anytime if anyone has any questions, and I should probably stop writing before I take up all of cyberspace. Oh, before we part, I should mention that I have yet to meet a WSP member or staff that I don’t like.
Have a lovely day!