A group of high schoolers in the Green Bay, Wisc. area are learning about careers in environmental science thanks to the Lower Fox River Watershed Monitoring Program. The program, supported by the University of Wisconsin, has involved more than 700 students since its 2003 launch.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have almost ten years of data,\u201d said Annette Pelegrin, program coordinator. \u201cIt began in 2003 with five watersheds. We\u2019ve trained teachers and schools that are interested and showed them how to measure different parameters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those include flow, temperature, transparency and turbidity of the program\u2019s streams. YSI 55 meters are used to measure dissolved oxygen and levels of phosphorus, ammonia and nitrogen are checked with a Hach colorimeter. Populations of local frog and bird species are also tracked.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt each stream, we pick 10 sites at road crossings. Students go out with expert birders to learn how to identify sound and appearance of the birds. They write down what they see and are able to track the numbers over time,\u201d said Pelegrin.<\/p>\n
The data collected since the program\u2019s launch has been used by monitoring professionals and researchers at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more than just citizens monitoring. Our data is high-quality. It goes through a quality-control process before it enters our database,\u201d said Pelegrin. \u201cAnd all of the teachers are trained.\u201d<\/p>\n
The students have helped on other local projects. Whenever the city of Appleton, Wisc. was evaluating water in its flood retention basins, they did the testing. They\u2019ve also assisted in work to mitigate farm runoff.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been working on community outreach and education these past two years, and I get offers all the time from people wanting to join,\u201d said Pelegrin. \u201cIt\u2019s limited by our funding.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pelegrin says that strengthening the program\u2019s endowment could provide for expansion. A stable endowment would better support efforts like the yearly watershed symposium that lets students present their work and a speaker series that connects them with industry experts.<\/p>\n
In the past year, students from 11 high schools conducted testing in seven watersheds. Youngsters from the Green Bay Boys & Girls Club also joined in. It\u2019s one of the biggest group yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re really learning about careers in environmental science,\u201d said Pelegrin. \u201cMany of them go into it, and it\u2019s because we\u2019re capturing their interest at a younger age.\u201d<\/p>\n
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