Penn State Extension Lehigh and Northampton County offices are now accepting applications for the 2016 Master Watershed Steward Program. Free information sessions will be offered from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. January 13, at the Lehigh County Agricultural Center and from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., January 27, at Illick's Mill, in Bethlehem. Now in 10 Pennsylvania Counties, the program is designed to provide people that are enthusiastic about the environment with the information and skills necessary to share their experience and knowledge with others.

Training starts March 9 and continues from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays through mid-June at partnering environmental organizations throughout the Lehigh Valley. The course also includes three hands-on Saturday field trips. Master watershed stewards receive 40 hours of training on topics including water quality, stream health, native plants, recreational resources and groundwater and must fulfill 50 hours of volunteer service.

Cost is $100, and scholarships are available. For an application, call 610-391-9840 or email at [email protected]. For more information, visit Tinyurl.com/2016Stewardship.