RANGELEY — Hanz Berger of South Paris Berger is this year’s Maine Conservation Corps Environmental Steward. He will focus on water quality monitoring the Headwaters Lake Protection Program Coordinator for the season.

Conducting boat inspections at a public launch on the weekends, Mondays, and Tuesdays, Berger will keep office hours available to assist volunteers with collecting water clarity data and documenting aquatic plants. As the season progresses, he’ll be on the water testing clarity, purity and patrolling for invasive plants with volunteers.

Born and raised in Maine, Berger grew up in Waterford and has family in South Paris. Berger joke’s he’s “familiar to the Rangeley area — at least in Maine terms, living only 1 hour 40 mins away. I’ve been up to Rangeley for years, but I’m still getting familiar with all the ins and outs. I’m glad to be living here and serving with the community for the next six months,” according to a news release from the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust.

Berger graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Northern Vermont University-Johnson. His academic career focused on ecology, forestry, and conservation biology. He will serve with the trust until November.