WILMINGTON – The Ausable River Association (AsRA) recently hired Brendan Wiltse as its full-time Stewardship and Outreach Coordinator.

Working with Executive Director Kelley Tucker, Wiltse will focus on expanding opportunities for residents, visitors and volunteers to participate in events, gather and disseminate scientific data, protect and enjoy the AuSable River.

“I’m excited to have Brendan join AsRA,” Tucker said. “His commitment to the watershed, his love for the Adirondacks and its communities and his strong academic and non-profit program management skills will be great assets in our efforts to protect the river.”

Most recently, Wiltse worked for the Adirondack Mountain Club serving as chief summit steward and later as the Johns Brook property coordinator. A native of the North Country who has fly fished and explored much of the AuSable River, Wiltse is about to complete his Doctorate of Biology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Curtis Buker has joined AsRA as its 2014 river steward, thanks to support from the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Working directly on the river much of his time, he will educate anglers and the public about the negative effects of invasive aquatic and terrestrial species and how each of us can quickly identify them and help prevent their spread through the watershed. Buker recently completed a Masters in Professional Science from SUNY Plattsburgh and has worked as a program educator for the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton County and for Save the River based in Clayton.

“It’s thanks to the dedicated support of our municipal, county, state and non-profit partners, and especially of generous donors and volunteers, that AsRA is able to expand our team and provide a broader commitment to our communities and the river we all love,” said Tucker.

The AuSable River Association’s mission is to identify, conserve and restore the AuSable River watershed’s natural and recreational resources for its ecological value and the benefit of human communities. AsRA’s goal is to work cooperatively with landowners, municipalities and government agencies to conserve the valued resources of the AuSable watershed.

AsRA provides scientific expertise, engages stakeholders in responsible watershed stewardship and fosters collaboration and information sharing across the watershed and beyond.

For more information visit, www.ausableriver.org.