E.B. Stanley Students near a stream at Sugar Hollow Park.
On May 6th, students from E. B. Stanley Middle School participated in a field experience at Sugar Hollow Park using special equipment attained by a grant from Virginia Naturally. This equipment enabled students to test multiple factors within the environment, such as monitoring the pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen level, and temperatures of a stream, as well as the wetlands areas. Craig Lott and Chad Quesenberry led students in the instruction of the equipment and a discussion on the importance of wetlands, how they differ from a stream, and how they have a positive impact on the environment.
The students also had the opportunity to find and identify a variety of aquatic stream animals. Linda Stull and Judy Osborne demonstrated how to determine the health of a stream using the presence of pollution tolerant and intolerant benthos.
Another activity the students participated in was a nature hike with Teresa Frazier and Will Roberts, where they identified native ferns, wildflowers, and trees. They also learned to identify scat and bird calls. Teresa led a discussion on riparian buffer zones and their impact on waterways as well as the effect of non-native plants on the local habitats.
The park staff complimented our students on their behavior. The sixth grade teachers appreciated the assistance and instruction provided by Will Roberts and the staff from the Department of Environmental Quality.