Watershed Protection Grant - 2009 Projects
2009 Buffer Planting- Troy Howard Middle School
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Students from Linda Davis' science class at Troy Howard Middle were interested in the health a stream on grounds. In the spring the sediment bridge between Troy Howard Middle School and the YMCA was washed out during a rain event and yards of dirt and gravel entered the stream. The students learned that soil is a pollutant to Maine streams and lakes and that it carries other pollutants as well. The students were concerned about the health of stream and after the bridge was repaired the students decided to design a vegetated buffer strip to limit the soil and nutrients entering the stream from the school grounds and parking lot.
Environmental educators Denise Blanchette and Rebecca Martin from the DEP visited Ms. Davis' science class in the fall and spring to teach the students about water quality and monitoring. The students participated in testing the dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature of their stream. They also monitored for aquatic insects in the stream and learned which insects are tolerant to pollution and which are sensitive to pollution. The students found a wide variety of sensitive and nonsensitive macroinvertabrates and determined that the stream ecosystem was in good health.
To protect the health of the stream and ensure that the organisms they had discovered were allowed to thrive, the students planned a path of erosion control mix and a vegetative buffer. The path was constructed to concentrate foot traffic and divert storm water runoff into the buffer of native plants. The students completed their path and plantings over several days in June and a sign was erected to inform the public about the project.
2009 Mud Pond Erosion Control Project- Leonard Middle School,
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Students at Leonard Middle School were led in their project by their sixth grade science teacher, Ms. Lacombe-Burby, and their gifted and talented teacher, Mr. Doty. Rebecca Martin, an environmental educator from the DEP, and Elizabeth Wright, the watershed coordinator for the Penobscot County Soil and Water Conservation District, visited the students on several occasions to present lessons about polluted stormwater runoff, erosion, watersheds, and buffers. After these presentations and additional research Ms. Lacombe-Burby, Mr. Doty, and their students decided on a project to protect the water quality of Mud Pond in Old Town .
The site selected for the project was in Sewall Park , an area where many local people go to enjoy picnicking and swimming. The site was chosen because it is accessible to the public and some of the students visit the park regularly. With the help of parent volunteers, their teachers, and Old Town Public Works the students constructed and installed two rubber razors across a dirt road which was eroding directly into Mud Pond. The road provides boaters with access to Mud Pond and is utilized by picnickers for parking. The students also dug and planted two rain gardens to collect the water that was being diverted from the road and prevent the runoff from reaching Mud Pond. The students applied erosion control mix to the berms constructed around the rain gardens to ensure the berm material is not washed into Mud Pond.
The students and their helpers are very proud of the results of their work and they erected a sign on the site to inform visitors of the project and purpose of the work. Old Town Public Works has agreed to maintain the rubber razors and rain gardens and ensure they remain in working order.
2009 Jimmy Brook Erosion Control Project-
Houlton High School
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Dawn Matthews and her environmental studies classes at Houlton High School added vegetation to an area along Jimmy Brook that had begun to show signs of erosion. Users of the ATV trail along the edge of the field were avoiding the designated trail and bridge and accessing the brook in another area. Because of the trails misuse, runoff from the farm field was also going into the brook via a small tributary. The students decided that a buffer was needed to not only control erosion, but also to block ATV traffic. The goal of the project is to prevent erosion from the adjacent farm field and ATV trail from traveling into Jimmy Brook and negatively impacting water quality.
Rebecca Martin, an MCC environmental educator with the DEP visited Ms. Matthews's environmental studies class to teach them how to map their watershed. The students learned about potential sources of polluted stormwater runoff and how polluted storm water runoff negatively impacts water quality. After they researched stormwater runoff and best management practices the students decided to reroute the ATV traffic to the designated trail by planting trees and erecting a sign in the path that the ATVs had been using. They also decided to add plants to the areas that had begun to erode and between the area where the farm field drained and Jimmy Brook.
The students did an excellent job informing and inviting community members and project partners to assist with their project. Volunteers who helped with the planning and execution of the project included staff from the Aroostook County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Aroostook Riders ATV Club, the Bird Farm Committee, the Maine Forest Service, MSAD #29 and Vital Pathways. The good work of the Houlton High School students and project partners will help protect the water quality of Jimmy Brook and ensure it can be enjoyed by many future users.
2009 Barberry Creek Buffer Project- Greater Portland Christian School
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Under the guidance of Margaret Pearson the fourth and fifth graders at Greater Portland Christian School designed and planted a buffer of native plants adjacent to the Green Belt Trail on Barberry Creek. Rebecca Martin, an MCC environmental educator with the DEP, visited the fourth and fifth graders at GPCS several times over the school year to present activities and lessons about polluted stormwater runoff, the water cycle, and water quality monitoring. The students built on the information they gained from these lessons with research about best management practices and decided to enhance the vegetated buffer next to Barberry Creek to protect the water quality of the creek.
The Greater Portland Christian School ninth grade science students, faculty members, and community members assisted with the planting and heavy lifting and their help greatly contributed to the success of the project. The faculty members that assisted with the project were Charlene Simpson, Keith Dawsom, and Beth Harriman. A staff member of Northstar Landscaping generously transported the plants to the project site and demonstrated the proper way to plant them.
The students used teamwork to move the larger shrubs and trees and carefully watered each one. The students of Greater Portland Christian School have placed a sign on the Green Belt Trail to highlight their work and also presented an educational display to students and parents at an open house. Ms. Pearson plans to return to the section of the Green Belt Trail with her students frequently to care for the plants and monitor Barberry Creek.
2009 Super Cool Vernal Pool Project- Brownville Elementary School
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The students at Brownville Elementary were very excited to learn that there is a vernal pool near the nature trail at their school. Their teacher, Mrs. Thompson, recognized that the pool was an excellent learning opportunity for her students. The sixth graders at Brownville Elementary had several visits from DEP environmental educators Rebecca Martin and Denise Blanchette. The students learned about watersheds, vernal pools, organisms that depend on vernal pools, and vegetated buffers.
During one investigation of the “Super Cool Vernal Pool” the students found macroinvertabrates like predacious diving beetles, mayfly larva, and caddisfly larva. Gordon Moore of the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District counted 120 clusters of wood frog eggs in the vernal pool, enough to be categorized as a Significant Vernal Pool. Later in the spring the students saw the vernal pool teeming with wood frog tadpoles.
To protect the vernal pool the students added vegetation and mulch to an area of the nature path near the pool that was showing signs of erosion and created an educational display about the pool. The students also established a path to the pool to prevent foot traffic in more sensitive areas and hope to install bog bridges by the end of summer. The students plan to invite parents and community members to the bog bridge installation day and present the project and share what they have learned through the course of the year.
