LTS WETLANDS PROJECT
We were awarded the 2010 Education Excellence Award - Michigan's Best Science Program by the Michigan Association of School Boards for this outdoor lab - wetlands restoration project.
NATIONAL FFA - LTS Rural Youth Development Program Goals
Provide constructive and encouraging relationships among youth and adults and youth and peers.
Provide an array of youth development opportunities for youth to build competencies in areas such as mastery, independence, generosity, and sense of belonging.
Provide access to multiple opportunities for youth to develop assets in the physical, intellectual, psychological, emotional, and/or social domains.
Connect the formal classroom to real-life experience and use the community as context for learning.
Have sufficient scope, breadth, duration, frequency and intensity of engagement of young people to reach long-term positive outcomes.
2009-2014
SALINE FFA
WETLANDS RESTORATION PROJECT
Install a 6 foot wide riparian buffer zone with native species plants around the south storm water retention pond to convert it into a true filtering wetland.
Install native species plants around the pond
monitor pH changes
monitor Dissolved Oxygen changes
Use GPS to establish site specific monitoring stations
Improve diversity of aquatic and wildlife species on the site though water quality and habitat improvement.
Install bat and bluebird houses to improve habitat and naturally control insect populations.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Students install a bluebird house
Planting Native Species of plants on a 6 foot wide Riparian Buffer Zone to prevent erosion, improve nutrient absorption and improve oxygenation of water. Over 500 feet x 6 feet wide buffer strip has been planted so far. More planting spring 2012.
Students install a bat house to control mosquito populations
Spring 2011 Planting Crew Volunteers
Thanks to Pat Sanders of River Raisin Institute who has mentored us on this wetlands restoration project.
JUNGA ACE HARDWARE
Thanks to Junga ACE Hardware for their generous discount on planting shovels and rakes.
Bill Poet tests a water sample for pH
Evan Medvec & Kristina Schneider test water for Dissolved Oxygen Level
Thanks to Radius Garden for the discount on ergonomic design transplanters designed right here at their headquarters in the Saline-Ann Arbor area.
Thanks to Lenewee NRCS for generous discounts on native species plants
Adrein Adams, Evan Medvec and Collin Green take a sample location reading on a Garmin ETrex GPS while practicing for the Michigan FFA Environmental Skills Contest
Pat Sanders, River Raisin Institute, directs students on how to sweep for macroinvertibrate insects which are water quality indicators in the storm water pond.
By doing an annual macroinvertibrate sweep each spring we can monitor progress on the diversity and population density the water quality will support.