| |
Several
RHS students and RHS science teacher 
Dr. Eric Lamont recently presented the results
of their environmental research project in the Central Pine Barrens
to those scientists and other presenters at the Pine Barrens Research
Forum at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Berkner Hall.
“Students on our team were
the only high school students presenting research at the Forum,
which featured some very prestigious scientists visiting from
throughout eastern United States, from Virginia to New England,”
explains Dr. Lamont.
Since1997, Dr. Lamont, a RHS biology teacher, and a group of students
from RHS worked with members of Quogue Wildlife Refuge and the
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to develop
and implement a long-term restoration and management plan to remove
woody vegetation from a wetland and reestablish habitat favoring
the endangered white-fringed orchid and associated plant species.
At the beginning of the study, only six flowering plants were
recorded. During the summer of 2001, after removing the undergrowth
to allow the plants to get more sunlight, nutrients and moisture,
the students returned to record any changes--88 orchids produced
flowering stems; but as expected, woody vegetation was once again
colonizing the open wetland. During the winter of 2002, the second
phase of the management plan was implemented and, once again,
the students selectively removed woody plants from the open wetland.
"It's difficult work," explained one of the members
of the team, Kristin Savage. "It was cold, wet and miserable
during our time in the field, but it was really worth the work.
It makes you feel really good to think that you may have helped
save something so beautiful from being lost forever."
RHS science teacher Mrs. Kim Skinner, who assisted with the project
and currently teaches Riverhead High School’s research class,
emphasizes, “Our students learned about restoration and
management of plant life, and a population of delicate orchids
were brought back from the brink of extinction in the Quogue Wildlife
Refuge.”
Dr. Lamont concludes, “The project has been a major learning
event for my students and a couple of the students involved are
planning to submit their findings in the Westinghouse Science
Competition. We’re very proud of these students for their
dedication both to science and conservation.”
|
|