The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy is dedicated to serving the people and communities of the Perkiomen Watershed by conserving and protecting land and water resources through commitment to and leadership in environmental education, watershed stewardship and conservation programs. A representative of Ursinus College sits on the board of the Conservancy, and Ursinus Environmental Studies students and faculty regularly volunteer for riparian restoration and stream clean-up projects sponsored by the Conservancy on the Perkiomen Creek, Skippack Creek, and their tributaries.  

John Rafferty represents Pennsylvania’s 44th Senatorial District, which includes parts of Berks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties. Since 2005, Senator Rafferty has held annual roundtable discussion of environmental issues at Ursinus College. These have addressed issues such as air quality, water quality, riparian restoration, and open space protection. The discussions bring to campus representatives of local and state government agencies and local, state, and national conservation and research organizations. Senator Rafferty’s work with Ursinus College helps to promote the involvement of Environmental Studies students in the governance processes they learn about, observe, and analyze in and outside of class. In 2006, during Senator Rafferty’s recent re-election campaign, the Ursinus student environmental group Ursinus College Environmental Action sponsored a media event for Senator Rafferty in which his candidacy was endorsed by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Sierra Club and Pennsylvania League of Conservation Voters. The opportunity for Ursinus students to sponsor and organize this event is another example of the involvement in civic life that is both expected of and provided to our students.