Pearl Checks in on MRBA's AmeriCorps Members
Over the past eleven years, the Missisquoi River Basin Association has been fortunate enough to host nine AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps is a United States federal agency for national service and volunteerism, connecting individuals with local and national organizations to address critical community challenges.
This year, our organization has two members serving with us. Ruby Bratcher and Natalie Hammond both serve our organization as Watershed Engagement Coordinators through the VHCB AmeriCorps program. VHCB AmeriCorps members are placed at nonprofits that support affordable housing, land conservation, and environmental education. They clean up streams, assist community members in navigating rental assistance programs, reduce barriers to Vermont’s natural landscapes, manage volunteers at food banks, and so much more.
At the MRBA, our AmeriCorps members are essential to the work we do and we are extremely grateful for all of our past and current members.
On January 13th, 2026, Ruby and Natalie were in Montpelier for their first day of orientation. There they were introduced to the program as well as the other members in their cohort. One week later, Ruby and Natalie were at the MRBA office for their first official day of service! For Ruby, this was the start of her second AmeriCorps term (but first with VHCB) and for Natalie, this was the start of her first ever AmeriCorps term.
A lot has happened since January! Pearl has spent more time with Ruby and gotten to know Natalie well. Pearl recently sat down with each of them to ask a few questions about their service term so far and looking ahead at the rest of the term, which ends in December.
What have you been working on?
Natalie: Lately, I have been working on a variety of different mapping projects projected to launch later this year. I am wrapping up an interactive map of the Ironwood Nursery that the MRBA staff can update as they plant new trees and bushes. I recently made some soil maps of properties belonging to Streamwise participants, and I am working creating a physical paddling map of the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic area. Throughout the summer, I have been participating in a variety of field work, including water sampling of the Missisquoi Watershed and tree survival surveys. Through UMATR, I have been helping with a variety of paddling events recently, which has been a ton of fun!
Ruby: I have been working on a lot of exciting things! In addition to my typical outreach work and field work, I have been planning several upcoming events and educational programs. One major event that I have been involved with is MRBA’s 30th Anniversary Celebration. On Saturday, November 14th we are celebrating the MRBA with dinner and a show. I can’t wait to see that event happen. I am also working on planning two trivia events for the fall which I am excited for. Stay tuned to our website for more information! Additionally, I am partnering with local schools to host educational programming such as our immersive River Day field trip program. There is a lot to look forward to in the next few months!
Where can people find you in the watershed?
Natalie: People can find me exploring new tributaries to fish in, sketching maps of different areas of the watershed, collecting water samples across Northern Vermont, and going for a
swim in a nearby swimming hole.
Ruby: I can be found hanging out at Big Falls in North Troy and enjoying the view, biking along the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail, flying our drone to capture images of the rivers and streams, or sitting at my desk typing away on my computer.
What is a fond memory you have made so far in the service year that stands out?
Natalie: One fond memory I have is from attending the Jay Peak Pond Skim to run a table for the MRBA. At this event, I met so many different people from all over Vermont and got to explain the connection that the ski mountain has with the Missisquoi Watershed. It was also super fun to see all of the contestants participate in the pond skim in fun costumes.
Ruby: There have been a lot of great memories from this year. One that is sticking out to me was the first time I paddled in the stern position in the canoe. Before I started my position in 2024, I had little paddling experience. For my first summer, I sat in the front of the canoe during paddling trips and events, providing power to the boat. To me, paddling in the stern position and being the one to steer the boat was extremely intimidating to me. With the support of our team, in April, I first tried paddling stern. It was scary at first but with practice, I got the hang of it and feel much more confident. I have had some great practice and experience paddling this summer and I look forward to building upon that in the future!
What is one thing you have learned this year?
Natalie: One thing I have learned is how watersheds interact with our environments, neighborhoods, and people. Doing work to research, map, and conserve the Missisquoi Watershed has shown me how much watersheds change when impacted by weather events, changing seasons, agricultural activity, pollution, invasive plants, and more. Seeing the Missisquoi Watershed up close while conducting field work and creating in-depth maps has shown me how quickly rivers can change and how important conservation work is to help maintain ecological balance in such an important part of our environment!
Ruby: Something I have learned this year is the power of teamwork and community. Working on a small team and in a strong community, there is always someone around to lend a helping hand or who may know the person to connect you with you get assistance on whatever you need.
What is one project that you have been a part of that has been meaningful to you?
Natalie: One project is the tree plantings the MRBA conducted in late April throughout different locations in the Missisquoi Watershed. The tree plantings were intense and it was
very satisfying to see all of the trees in the ground after a long day of planting. We planted over 2000 trees over the course of two weeks, and we worked with a variety of volunteers to help get the trees into the ground. It was a meaningful and memorable experience in which I was able to connect with different Vermonters, help transform riparian buffers, and improve the quality of local environments.
Ruby: A particularly meaningful project to me has been planning and running our educational programming. Education is a crucial piece of work that we do at the MRBA. How can someone care about something if they don’t know about it? I get to work with teachers and students to teach them a variety of water quality topics. My goal is that each student leaves the field trip or lesson having learned something new. It makes me feel good and happy when I get to step back and watch the students interacting with my colleagues on watershed education topics.
Reflect on a moment during this service term where you felt especially connected to the community.
Natalie: For a River Day educational outreach event in the Spring, I led a table that showed children how to read a map and how to understand the topography of a watershed. The children were intrigued by the varieties of symbologies on the map and enjoyed finding landmarks in the town they are growing up and attending school in. Helping kids in the community better understand the environment around them was a meaningful and connective experience that I felt helped support the community.
Ruby: I feel particularly connected to the community when I table at events such as farmers markets and partner events. Getting to be in the watershed, interacting with people who live here and use the rivers directly is a favorite thing of mine. The more times I table at places, the more I and the MRBA become known and I get to have meaningful conversations with community members. I always look forward to spending time representing the MRBA and having the opportunity to talk about our organization.
What is something you are looking forward to for the remainder of your service?
Natalie: I am looking forward to launching a variety of maps that I have been workshopping over the course of my service term, as well as seeing Vermont in its famous fall foliage!
Ruby: For the rest of my service year, I am looking forward to continue to work with the MRBA team, our partners, and community members on meaningful and impactful work that is important to me.
Pearl and the rest of the MRBA team have greatly enjoyed having Ruby and Natalie around this year and can’t wait to see what they each accomplish with the remainder of their term!
Feel free to email info@mrbavt.com if you would like to learn more about the AmeriCorps program and Ruby and Natalie’s work!
