The Megunticook Watershed Association (MWA) has appointed its first Ken Bailey Memorial Watershed Steward: Alley Johnson, a recent graduate of Trinity College and a graduate of Camden Hills Regional High School.

This new fund honors the legacy of Ken Bailey, a dedicated steward of the Megunticook Watershed for over 28 years. Bailey served as lake patrol and executive director, setting a high bar for care of the lake and ponds. At the time of his passing in 2012, as a memorial to his love for this special place, his family established a scholarship fund in his name.

This year, in collaboration with his wife and children, MWA has adapted the scholarship fund to become the Ken Bailey Memorial Watershed Steward Fund with the express purpose of providing support to an eligible steward working alongside the organization during the summer. 

Alley Johnson will be the first steward to fill the role that has previously been the work of a summer intern, assisting with water quality monitoring, invasive plant surveying, and other projects on the lake, ponds, and river within the watershed. 

Alley recently received her degrees in anthropology and environmental science from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where she rowed for the Trinity Women’s Rowing Team and served as a leader in the Trinity Outdoor Club.

Upon graduation, she began working for Outdoor Classroom, a seasonal environmental education organization in Massachusetts. From there she traveled to a sheep farm in Austria where she has been volunteering this winter, learning about different agricultural and farming techniques. 

“I’m looking forward to getting back to the Midcoast and working in the watershed this summer”, said Alley, in a news release. “I am excited to gain more research experience, work outside, and educate myself more on the lake — a place I’ve spent my whole life.”

Alley will begin her role as Watershed Steward in June and work in the field alongside MWA staff through September. 

“I can’t think of a better way to honor Ken’s legacy than to continue building on all the work he did for this watershed,” said Abby Kidder, Executive Director for MWA, in the release. “We are so grateful to all that Ken contributed in his lifetime out on the water, and even more grateful to his family for the loving gift of establishing this fund to help young people follow in his footsteps.”

Megunticook Watershed Association’s mission is to protect, preserve, and promote the resiliency of the natural resources in the watershed to ensure a healthy ecosystem for the benefit and safe enjoyment of all. For more information, visit them at www.megunticook.org.