BEACH LAKE, PA — Superintendent Kristina Heister has announced the appointment of Andrew Weber to the position of aquatic ecologist at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. In the division of natural resources, Weber, whose new assignment started on August 20, will provide expertise on water quality monitoring, aquatic insect assemblages, freshwater mussels, fisheries. The position is designed to contribute to  the NPS’s understanding of the ecology of the Delaware River and the relationship between aquatic resources, the land, and the people of the river valley.

For the past seven years, Weber has worked for the National Park Service’s Eastern Rivers and Mountains Inventory and Monitoring Network at Penn State University as a hydrological technician. His work involved long-term ecological monitoring projects in nine park units in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, including work with aquatic-insect and river water-quality monitoring programs, fish-population monitoring, and vegetation and soils monitoring. His familiarity with the Delaware River and its tributaries and his experience with river resources make him an especially valuable addition to the park staff.

A Pittsburgh, PA native, Weber attended Penn State University where he earned an associate’s degree in wildlife technology in 2002 and a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife and fisheries science in 2005. He went on to receive his Master of Science degree in biology from Tennessee Technological University in 2008.