The Tinker’s Creek watershed spans 24 communities, connecting us through the streams, rivers, and stormwater that flow through our neighborhoods. Explore our illustrated watershed map to discover the communities, parks, waterways, and habitat in Tinker’s Creek watershed.
Zoom in, look around, and see how your community connects to the watershed.
This illustrated map is intended to help you explore watershed connections and is not drawn to geographic scale.
Okay, but seriously...What is a watershed?
Every yard, street, stream, and storm drain connects to our watershed. Show your support for the environment by taking the Watershed Action Pledge.
Discover Watershed Careers: Quiz and Green Career Profiles in Northeast Ohio
Interested in finding an environmental career that’s right for you?
Take Project Learning Tree’s free “Find Your Green Job” quiz to explore careers that match your interests and skills.
Watershed Coordinator
Nichole Lopez,
Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District
Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District
Watershed Coordinator
I work with the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern (AOC) and surrounding communities to promote healthy waters, ecological stewardship, and environmental justice.
ADVICE: I highly encourage anyone, despite your qualifications, to join this field if you are passionate about it. It is filled with such amazing, wonderful people who will support you every step of the way.
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ADVICE: I highly encourage anyone, despite your qualifications, to join this field if you are passionate about it. It is filled with such amazing, wonderful people who will support you every step of the way.
Family & Youth Engagement Coordinator
Dana Lettl,
Holden Forests & Gardens
Holden Forests & Gardens
Family Youth Engagement Coordinator
I design, coordinate, and lead nature-based educational programs, including summer camps, scouting groups, classes and public events, primarily for children and families at Holden Arboretum. I also handle planning, curriculum development, and logistics while supervising staff and creating engaging, hands-on experiences that connect people with the natural world.
ADVICE: The path is almost never a straight one, don't be afraid to try new experiences or explore careers that don't traditionally fall within your degree or what you expect your career path to be.
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ADVICE: The path is almost never a straight one, don't be afraid to try new experiences or explore careers that don't traditionally fall within your degree or what you expect your career path to be.
Urban Technician
Sarah Brunot,
Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District
Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District
Urban Technician
I inspect active construction and green infrastructure sites to ensure they are well maintained and water pollution is minimized within Cuyahoga County.
My work helps reduce nonpoint source water pollution in urban areas.
ADVICE: Get your foot in the door by pursing seasonal positions. Seasonal positions will help you make connections and develop a clearer idea of the various environmental organizations in the area.
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My work helps reduce nonpoint source water pollution in urban areas.
ADVICE: Get your foot in the door by pursing seasonal positions. Seasonal positions will help you make connections and develop a clearer idea of the various environmental organizations in the area.
Environmental Specialist
Justin Telep,
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
Environmental Specialist
I use chemistry, habitat, and organisms (fish, bugs, salamanders) to assess the aquatic health of our waterways. I also perform sampling for compliance to make sure what is discharged to the streams is safe for the environment. Our stream monitoring program allows us to identify issues that may cause an impairment in the local waterways. This long term monitoring program gives us the ability to track long term water quality trends related to NEORSD projects.
ADVICE: Keep learning, networking, and trying to better yourself. Multiple internships and connections helped me get to where I am today.
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ADVICE: Keep learning, networking, and trying to better yourself. Multiple internships and connections helped me get to where I am today.
Senior Watershed Coordinator
Matt Siefert,
Tinker's Creek Watershed Partners
Tinker's Creek Watershed Partners
Senior Watershed Coordinator
I assist communities within the Tinker's Creek Watershed with stormwater-related services that help them fulfill their annual EPA MS4 permit requirements.
ADVICE: Keep an open mind when exploring different careers within the field. Every job brings new opportunities to develop your skill set.
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ADVICE: Keep an open mind when exploring different careers within the field. Every job brings new opportunities to develop your skill set.
Naturalist & Events Coordinator
Katie Burnsworth,
Erie Metroparks
Erie Metroparks
Naturalist & Events Coordinator
I am an informal educator who teaches the community about the natural world. I also plan and coordinate the large events that happen at the MetroParks.
ADVICE: Network with anyone and everyone you can. This is a niche field, so the more people you meet and work with, the better chance you'll have securing a job. Plus, the knowledge that you can gain from working with others in this field is unbelievable.
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ADVICE: Network with anyone and everyone you can. This is a niche field, so the more people you meet and work with, the better chance you'll have securing a job. Plus, the knowledge that you can gain from working with others in this field is unbelievable.
Nonprofit Executive Director
Whitnye Long-Jones,
Organic Connects, Inc.
Organic Connects, Inc.
Nonprofit Executive Director
As Executive Director, I guide all aspects of our organization, which addresses barriers to engaging urban communities with nature, promotes healthy environments by increasing social awareness, and prepares the future green leaders of the world for the environmental workforce.
ADVICE: Follow your passions! Surround yourself with people doing what you want to do, embrace who you truly are, and be open to constructive feedback. Learn as much as you can about your interests and be ready to fail multiple times before succeeding once. You'll get there!
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ADVICE: Follow your passions! Surround yourself with people doing what you want to do, embrace who you truly are, and be open to constructive feedback. Learn as much as you can about your interests and be ready to fail multiple times before succeeding once. You'll get there!
Landscape Architect
Katherine Holmok,
Kimley-Horn
Kimley-Horn
Landscape Architect/ Practice Builder - Surface Water
I work with communities to protect natural resources and design outdoor spaces that reduce flooding and improve quality of life. By combining science, planning, and creativity, I help turn community ideas into projects that are funded, built, and enjoyed for years to come.
ADVICE: Obtain a civil engineering degree
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ADVICE: Obtain a civil engineering degree
Area Manager, Environmental Services
Ana Burns,
Davey Resource Group
Davey Resource Group
Area Manager, Environmental Services
I manage a team of restoration ecologists, wetlands biologists, urban foresters, urban planners and field technicians in Ohio and western New York.
After more than 25 years of leading multidisciplinary teams, I've learned that the best projects come from building relationships and trust. Collaboration is essential to transform our complex environmental challenges into thriving ecosystems.
ADVICE: Ask questions and don't be afraid to try new things. You do not need to be an expert in everything, but you do need to recognize when you need to surround yourself with a team of experts to accomplish your goals.
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After more than 25 years of leading multidisciplinary teams, I've learned that the best projects come from building relationships and trust. Collaboration is essential to transform our complex environmental challenges into thriving ecosystems.
ADVICE: Ask questions and don't be afraid to try new things. You do not need to be an expert in everything, but you do need to recognize when you need to surround yourself with a team of experts to accomplish your goals.
Natural Resources Area Manager
Valerie Carter-Stone,
Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks
Natural Resources Area Manager
I work with our biological specialists and other departments to preserve and restore ecological health within our parks. I monitor the spread of invasive plants and insects and work to minimize their negative effects.
ADVICE: Be willing to move around geographically and I highly recommend starting out by taking a wide variety of seasonal positions in different areas and with different types of organizations (quite a few provide free/cheap housing).
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ADVICE: Be willing to move around geographically and I highly recommend starting out by taking a wide variety of seasonal positions in different areas and with different types of organizations (quite a few provide free/cheap housing).
*The “Know Your Watershed” map and online portal was made possible in part through grant funding from the Ohio EPA’s Ohio Environmental Education Fund.*