The Other Half of Our Mission

 

by Beth Sullivan

Our Mission: We preserve natural habitats in southeastern Connecticut by acquiring and protecting lands, and by communicating the value of these irreplaceable resources.

Communicating the value of these
irreplaceable resources.

Everyone who is aware of Avalonia as a land conservancy in southeast CT,  understands the first part of that statement,  about preserving, acquiring and protecting.  Over the last several years Avalonia has acquired, or is in the process of acquiring, almost 1000 acres.  Now, over 4,300 acres are protected for the future, for generations of wildlife and people. From our shoreline, which is imperiled by rising sea level, to coastal forests that are being lost to development;  from small vernal pools, to swamps and bogs,  ponds, streams and rivers;  from meadows and thickets to forests with rocky ledges and towering old trees;  Avalonia has a wonderful and diverse cross section of habitats to share.

An illustrated sign captures the
interest of a young hiker.

That’s where the second part of the mission comes in: sharing these resources, communicating and educating all who will listen, about the importance of habitat conservation and diversity. Many of us took refuge in nature over this past year.  Our trails saw enormous increases in traffic.   It is always my hope that people truly think about where they walk, see with different eyes, keep their ears alert, when they are on a trail in the woods and not merely walk for exercise with ear phones securely plugged in! You can learn so much, just on your own, by paying attention.

However, sometimes we are lucky to be able to truly, actively, educate people about our preserves, and sometimes they educate us!    A few preserves have informational signage to point out special elements  along the trail.  We are hoping to do a little more of that.  There is a lot of information on our website about each of the preserves, and links to articles that may offer more insight. Hike and Seek has remained popular with children, families and even older adults who have found our trails and preserves to be sources of learning, respite and  exercise.

The students become the educators

This is the time of year when we also begin to think about some special programs that offer different levels of education.   The Conn College Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment will be joining forces with Avalonia for the ninth year!  Since 2013 I have worked with some of the brightest  young minds, enthusiastic, hopeful and eager to participate in some aspect of Avalonia’s work.  Over the years we have had projects from stewardship and on the ground research, to fundraising and social media efforts. We never quite know what direction their projects will take, but in the next semester, you will be introduced to some of them as we learn together.

I am also so very lucky to be working with a great team from UConn on the Hoffman Project.  Through these connections, I myself am learning a lot about forest management, climate change and also ways to impart that knowledge to others.  We are creating more informational signs for trail side learning.  Under the leadership of a Stonington Town Committee member, a professor from GWU,  Avalonia will be offering a series of webinars about how changing climate is influencing our forests and their ability to adapt.  Entitled “Finding the Right Trees for the Right Time”,  the seminars will discuss the planning and planting we are doing to ensure a resilient coastal forest at the Hoffman Preserve.   Find out more on our website here.  We are also planning to work with the local schools and teachers to offer Hoffman as a living laboratory for learning and field work.   At a time when classrooms are often challenging to keep safe, an outdoor classroom may prove perfect!

Putting heads together to explore
life found in a  vernal pool.
(Photo credit:Kim Bradley) 

There are also many Citizen Science opportunities for students and families to participate in, providing opportunities to learn,and to contribute data to the knowledge base about wildlife in our area.   There is an ongoing opportunity to record bird sightings on eBird   https://ebird.org/.   We have just finished the Great Backyard Birdcount   https://www.birdcount.org/   and Project Feeder Watch  https://feederwatch.org/ continues.  Both websites offer great information about observing birds wherever you may be.   Believe it or not, next month we will be watching for the return of the Osprey to their nesting sites. Osprey Nation offers great information and opportunities to monitor these magnificent birds.  https://www.ctaudubon.org/osprey-nation-home. We will also begin to listen for and report,  those first sounds of spring, from frogs and toads in the Frog Watch Program https://www.aza.org/frogwatch,  sponsored locally by the Mystic Aquarium.

We may still be in the middle of winter, but we can think forward to spring. Avalonia provides the land and opportunities to communicate the value of these irreplaceable resources.

At Hoffman, educational signage helps
visitors understand conservation practices.

Citizen science activities can start early and last a lifetime.
Photo credit: Nick Young

Education and outreach can take many forms.

The impact of a life-changing pandemic

Amelia Packard, a student at Connecticut College has written another blog, this time explaining how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected her personally, and shares her thoughts about how it may affect things for a very long time. She recognizes the importance of nature and conservation of open space that has become so important to all of us at this time. We are lucky to have such insightful young people to take the reins from us. It is time, and they have the power to create a better world.

A couple of years back, these students didn't need to worry about social distance.

Hello Avalonia eTrail readers!

I hope everyone is well in light of the outbreak of COVID-19. When Connecticut College transitioned to online learning on March 25th it was a big adjustment. My rowing season was cancelled, and all my classes were modified so they would better fit the online format. I only have two classes, Classical Mechanics and the Goodwin Niering Seminar, that meet regularly now. My other classes have switched to readings and assignments online. I am hoping the online class format is not one that lasts for very long. I feel distant from my college community and my other classmates. COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on everyone. It has disrupted our way of life. People are turning to nature in this time of crisis, and I think we can learn some valuable lessons from its effects.

As a response to the pandemic, people are staying at home. For many this is a true disaster. But decreasing travel has been decreasing air pollution. According to NASA, the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) has significantly decreased over the Northeastern United States. See figures 1 and 2 for a visual. Figure 1 shows the average NO2 pollution from March 2015-2019 and figure 2 shows the NO2 levels this past March. You can clearly see the difference. This is not, however, a permanent solution for air pollution. These visuals have shown me just how effective change made on the individual level can have a large impact if it is done by many people. But, we won’t be in lockdown forever. I think it shows clearly the connection between our economy and pollution. As the world comes to a screeching halt, air pollution significantly decreases, but at a huge cost. But we also know it can be done. We need to build a world that runs on things like sustainable agriculture and clean energy sources.

Figure 1 March 2015 to 2019 Average NO2 levels. Image from NASA.

Figure 2 March 2020 NO2 levels. Image from NASA.

Another effect of the pandemic is that so many people have been seeking exercise and inspiration outdoors. The parks are packed on weekends, and DEEP has shut down two state parks (Kent Falls and Seaside Park) due to the increased foot traffic and concerns for social distancing. Without work and school, people still need an outlet for exercise, both physical and mental. Nature has been available as a safe option for people to explore due to its allowance for social distancing. I am hopeful that people remember how important nature has been for people during this crazy time. I hope it will allow for more conservation efforts as many people have newly connected or rediscovered nature.

Reconnecting with the natural world is hardly a new concept. People have retreated to the countryside over centuries to find themselves again. There is something inexplicable about nature that allows people to slow down, find themselves, and answer questions about the world.

Appreciation of nature starts now.

If you isolate together at home, you can still share a bench outside.

Solitary exploration can be the best.

According to British newspaper, The Independent, young adults care a lot about environmental issues and often it is their highest priority. From a survey, it was found that 80% of teenagers feel pressure to save the planet, but 44% say they don’t hear about these issues or ways to solve them in the classroom. Environmental education is key to continuing future change. As we educate, more people will find passions in environmental fields. Many fields of study involve, or will involve, environmental aspects. In the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment at Connecticut College, students have all found passions in different areas of study, but we all have one interest in common - the environment.

Maybe as a result of this pandemic, we, as a human race will have recognized a deeper importance of nature and our environment, for ourselves and future generations. Maybe our generation will find the power to take a stand.

The Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment has been helping us for  many years but this year we couldn't hold a work party.

Next month Amelia and I will share some of the student projects from this semester. It has been a challenge but the outcomes are excellent.




Photographs by Beth Sullivan, unless otherwise indicated.






References




Blumberg, Sara. “Data Shows 30 Percent Drop In Air Pollution Over Northeast U.S.” NASA, NASA, 9 Apr. 2020, www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/drop-in-air-pollution-over-northeast.

“COVID-19 Updates CT State Parks and Forests.” CT.gov, portal.ct.gov/DEEP/State-Parks/COVID-19-Updates-CT-State-Parks-and-Forests.

Young, Sarah. “80% Of Teens Feel under Pressure to Save the Planet.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 5 June 2019, www.independent.co.uk/life-style/teenagers-save-planet-world-environment-day-2019-climate-change-plastic-pollution-protest-a8945131.html.

New Voices

This week we celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day. Our celebrations will be different for sure. No gatherings, no work parties to plant trees. But we can each truly celebrate the Earth even more this year than we may have before. As we are isolated from one another, we can become more aware and attuned to the Earth. Nature is at her most beautiful, active and alive right now. Celebrate that!

Many of us of a certain age can remember when there was no Earth Day. We can remember when our waterways were filthy and air not was fit to breathe at some times. We can celebrate the change. And we can celebrate that the next generations of leaders will have grown up having Earth Day and environmental awareness as part of their daily lives, part of their school curriculum.

The young adults that are part of the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment are very much more aware and forward thinking than I may have been at their age. They are also experiencing the worst pandemic threat in a century. But they adjust, adapt and carry on with hope for the future.

We welcome their voices as they report on their projects from this last semester. These are the voices of the future. And I have hope. 

 Beth

This is Hope.  Photograph by Beth Sullivan.

Hello Avalonia eTrail readers!

My name is Amelia Packard. I’m a sophomore Physics major at Connecticut College working with Avalonia through the Goodwin-Niering Center(GNCE). Connecticut College’s GNCE is a group of students and faculty at the school who are all passionate about the environment and meet once or twice a week. From a large pool of sophomore applicants, only 12 are selected each year. Each student will complete a senior integrative project to try to answer questions that they pose about the world. As we all come from different backgrounds and majors, the topics range from beauty to chemical structures in the environment. But we all share something in common - a love for the outdoors.

I grew up on a family farm and was almost always outside. I played any game you could imagine with my friends in our 12-acre horse pasture and 20-stall stable. In high school I joined the Glastonbury Crew Team because I wanted to be out on the Connecticut River in a boat with my teammates. The first image (1) shows the farm where I grew up. Ours is the green horse pasture in the middle. The other two images (2 and 3) were taken in Cotton Hollow, a great place to hike in my hometown where I have been many times. Growing up outside has ingrained an interest in the environment in me.

Image 1

Image 2 Photograph by Mark Packard.

Image 3 Photograph by Mark Packard.

My interests seem to have a common theme as well. I love it when things move. I love being able to train a horse to move correctly. I like finding rhythm and pace when I work with horses. And in rowing, it’s all about making the boat move faster, improving your technique and strength to better move the boat.

When I hear about environmental issues, specifically global climate change, I wonder if future generations will be able to enjoy the outdoors the way I did. The constant fossil fuel consumption by the world’s population is raising the levels of what are known as greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. These gasses trap heat and raise the Earth’s average temperature. Because of this, climate change will greatly alter habitats around the world. I want to explore sources, especially ones that involve movement (kinetics), in order to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels. By doing this, we can mitigate the damage done by climate change on ecosystems. This is a very similar goal to what Avalonia is trying to achieve. We are both, in our own ways, preserving and protecting land for future enjoyment.

I have made connections from extracurricular interests to my academics. During high school AP Physics, I found that I am most interested in the laws of motion. Physics helped explain why the world around me works the way it does. Then I connected my interest in motion and my passion for the environment and I began to look into kinetic sources of energy such as wind, hydropower, tidal, and wave energy. So I asked myself, why aren’t other forms of kinetic renewables seen in the industry today? Was it communication about the issue? Were they not sustainable? It’s these kinds of questions I want to help answer during my lifetime.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 11% of our energy in 2018 came from renewable sources. About 45% of that was from kinetic sources. According to Energy UK, in 2016 the UK obtained their energy mainly from coal (42%), nuclear (21%), and renewables (25%). The makeup of their renewable energy came from wind, wave, marine, hydro, biomass, and solar.

From this information, we can see that a lot of renewable energy comes from kinetic sources. Ocean energy (a combination of energy that comes from the ocean) is a relatively new type of energy that is being researched. In some parts of the world waves are large and constant, creating large amounts of energy to be harnessed. The ocean also has currents which can be harnessed as well (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management). In the fourth image, you can see how researchers have designed tools to help capture this energy. In general terms, in order to create electricity, you need to drive a generator or turbine(energy.gov). The designs in the fourth image (4) show how that is possible. This idea is very similar for all types of electricity generation.

I believe that exploring new energy sources will help protect land from climate impacts, and therefore preserve it. I find this fascinating, and I am looking forward to being able to help protect and preserve the land that we all know and love.

But right now, during our sophomore seminar, GNCE students are working on projects for Avalonia. I’m writing blogs and offering a new voice and point of view. My other classmates are working hard on their projects, even as they work from home due to COVID-19. As most colleges have, Connecticut College has sent the majority of students to work from home for the rest of the semester. We are all working to adapt our projects and continue moving forward during this crazy time. Tune in next time for an overview of what we are doing.

Image 4. Image by Alpaslaan Aydingakko from Research Gate.

References

Aydingakko, Alpaslan, et al. “Figure 6 Typical Types of the Wave Energy Converters (20) .” ResearchGate, 1 Aug. 2018, www.researchgate.net/figure/Typical-types-of-the-wave-energy-converters-20_fig3_309041849.

“How Are Ocean Waves Converted to Electricity?” Energy.gov, www.energy.gov/eere/articles/how-are-ocean-waves-converted-electricity.

“Renewable Energy on the Outer Continental Shelf.” Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/renewable-energy-program-overview.

“U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis.” U.S. Energy Facts Explained - Consumption and Production - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/.

WebxSol. “Electricity Generation.” Energy UK Small, www.energy-uk.org.uk/our-work/generation/electricity-generation.html.

Connecticut College wrap up

Another semester with the students of the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment (GNCE) has come to an end. The students presented their final projects last Tuesday evening, and once again I am awed by their accomplishments. Keep an eye on our website for some new additions reflecting their efforts.

One group scanned several volumes of newspaper clippings of Avalonia’s history, and then once digitized, they were labeled and organized. These will eventually be put on line in an archive and will be available for all to enjoy and not just remain hidden, yellowing, in binders.

Another group expanded the Hike and Seek program to include the new Tri-Town Ridgeline Forest Preserve. There were two loops created, targets found and photo clues developed. These will need some final editing and formatting before they are added to the webpage, but we are working on it.

A third group created an online wildlife booklet with examples of typical creatures that could be spotted on Avalonia’s preserves, based on the types of habitats they are found in. They have included mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and birds with photos and fun facts. Once edited, this booklet will be linked to Hike and Seek as well as to our preserve pages.

The last group took over our Instagram account and tried to teach some of us older dogs, some new tricks. I am including in this post, their very helpful step-by-step instructions, so share your photos on Instagram while you are out and about on Avalonia’s Preserves. These will show up if you follow Avalonia as well as possibly being posted on our website, too.

Thank you to all the GNCE students and their professor Jen Pagach for a wonderfully helpful and creative semester.  

Sample page from Wildlife Booklet.

Creating an Instragram Account

Hello readers, we are Julia Whelan and Grace Neale from Connecticut College. As student members of the Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment, we were tasked this semester with creating a project that would benefit Avalonia and improve their outreach efforts. We decided that the most effective way to reach more people was to revamp their Instagram account. As social media gains momentum, sites like Instagram are phenomenal ways to gain an audience for an organization. Instagram is a photo-sharing app for smartphones, so for a group like Avalonia that owns copious amounts of gorgeous nature photos it is an ideal platform. We have used the account to encourage participation as well as advertise events. Although we originally took over the Instagram account to reach a younger audience, we want everyone to enjoy this app. Below are instructions on how to operate your own account. Just be sure to click on the magnifying glass and type in @avalonialandconservancy to follow us and see our photos when we post them.


Setting up an account:
To set up an Instagram account, download the app and type in your email address or phone number and create a username (which will begin with @) and a password.

Make a post:
Once you have created an account on your mobile device, click the plus sign with a square around it on the lower center of your screen (seen below), which will bring you to the next screen.

Selecting photos:
Photos from your camera roll will be shown for you to select from. By clicking the button circled in red, you can select multiple photos to post.

Editing photos:
Once you have selected your photo(s), you can edit them on the next screen, either by adding filters (underlined below), or manually adjusting lighting, etc by clicking the edit button. When you are finished, click Next.

Captioning:
On this screen, you can add a caption, hashtags, tag people, and add the location where the photo was taken, before it is posted. Hashtags generally go at the end of the caption using the # symbol and are a way to broadcast your post to more viewers. Posts using the same hashtag are grouped together on Instagram so users can easily find more posts that are similar to one another.

So POST something!

The power of water

By Beth Sullivan

Many of Avalonia’s trails are on properties that have some significant history. In so many areas we encounter huge oak trees, old stone walls, fence posts, and cart paths, all clues about the history of the land.

A stone span crosses the brook in a quieter season.

The brook in flood.

Historical preserve

Our Pequotsepos Brook Preserve is one of those. We have had several research projects done on the property that help explain the history of the land in that area. Some of this information is on our website for easy reading here.

The center of interest on this preserve, and in its history, is the Pequotsepos Brook that has its origins up the Quoquetaug Hill where waters emerge and gently flow downhill until they merge more completely at Jerry Browne Road and Coogan Boulevard. Of course those roads were not present generations ago. But Jerry Browne Road may have been a roadway considering some of the older homes and farms along the lane.

Through the course of history, the brook needed to be crossed for farm or commerce, and in these areas bridges were made by positioning huge flat stones over the stream bed, allowing the water to flow freely and allowing easy, dry passage. The stone bridges are in existence today, and the old paths remain as the basis for several pathways collectively referred to as the Stone Bridges Trail. The entire trail system contains three brook crossings over stone bridges and offers views of several other beautiful stone spans .

We have to assume that there have been big rain storms over the last century that these bridges were in existence. We know there have been hurricanes and other destructive storms, but through it all the paths and bridges remained intact.

Until recently. Is it a sign of the changing climate that the weather has been wetter or that the storms in the last months have been more intense rain events? Maybe it is because of increased development upstream where the landscape has lost its vegetative cover which used to slow the rain and absorb the water slowly and gently. Whatever is the cause, the intense rain storms have caused serious flooding along the brook and in one area in particular, have caused serious erosion of the trail. One of the most beautiful and exposed of the stone bridges has now had the trail on either end of it washed away. Left behind are exposed tree roots and only the largest of the rocks. The power of the water washed away soil, gravel and smaller rocks. The footing is tricky. We need to repair it and the challenge is bigger than I can manage.

Near the quarry rocks are exposed and creations have been built.

Old trees, stone walls, and fence posts hint of the history in this preserve.

These huge stones were placed to cross the brook and allow the water to flow easily. 

Trails Team goes to work

Enter the Avalonia Trails Team and some hard working Connecticut College Students. We had the area properly reviewed by our wetland commission chairperson to make sure we could work in the area. Then the Trails Team leader came in to assess, and together with others, we tossed around some ideas. We don’t want to cover up the old stones with a wooden bridge, but we need to stabilize the footing and still allow the water to flow through in flood situations.

There is also an old quarry on the property with an abundance of rocks available in all sizes, and many with lovely flat surfaces. That is another piece of interesting history. The challenge was transporting rocks from one place, to another via a very bumpy, uneven, and often muddy path. On Saturday April 13, ten students from the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment at Connecticut College arrived to experience a day of real stewardship. Of course it had been raining hard the night before, and the brook itself was once again in raging flood stage. In a move referred to as adaptive management, we changed plans. We approached from another entrance, and for several hours the students moved rocks-lots of rocks. Down a long and muddy path. Delivered to the site now, they await the next stage. The Trails Team will work on the next phase: wrangling some of the bigger rocks out of the quarry and down to the main path to use as stabilizers and step stones.

This whole process is likely to take more than just a couple more work parties. In the end, we hope to have a stabilized trail for walking, as well as a way to allow flood waters to flow around or through it without washing it away each time it rains hard.

If you have an interest in history, if you enjoy team work and want to make a difference to preserving the trail (or others) and maintaining a lovely area for many, many hikers, give us a call. The Avalonia website describes the Trails Team and we can get you in touch with the leader.

Those giant bridge stones remained intact, but the surrounding area needs a hand. Let us know if you can offer one. At the very least, come out sometime and enjoy the trails and consider the history.

It was a team effort to load and haul the rocks.

The team from Connecticut College after several hours of rock moving.

Photographs by Beth Sullivan.

The next generation

By Beth Sullivan

Once again we are excited to have the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment (GNCE) teaming up with Avalonia. We had our introductory meeting in early February. The students were well prepared as they have the new and improved website for reference. Archives, news stories, preserve descriptions, and management plans are all easily found online now. The first students, in 2013, didn’t have that resource. This group also has the benefit of upper class students who have done projects with Avalonia in previous years, to guide and answer questions. That is a huge help to me as their mentor and connection to Avalonia.

This year the second semester sophomore students are already deeply entrenched in their chosen projects. Despite the fact that everyone wishes for opportunities to get out onto preserves and do stewardship work, this time of year is so impossible. You can’t do plant or wildlife surveys in mid-winter. You can’t do much with invasive removal or native plantings. It’s even hard to plan a good work party as we have had snow on the ground every March for the last couple of years. This year the teams are dedicated to outreach and education.

The map of the Tri-town Ridgeline Forest Preserve is complex, but the students will break it into easy family hikes. 

At the Tri-Town Ridgeline Forest, there are a number of fun artifacts and formations to seek out.

Student teams - hard at work

One team is working with our Communications Committee to enhance our Instagram presence. They are seeking photos and doing postings for us. I have also requested that they write a blog piece that explains some of the finer points of Instagram posting, for those of us who are still not sure when to use # or @.

Another duo has chosen a project that may not seem exciting, buty is also very important: it’s about scanning documents. These documents are old newspaper articles about Avalonia from as far back as 1968. They have been kept in folders, the way old news clippings always were, but no one ever sees them. This team is taking the time to scan these articles of our history and have them as digital files, labeled and sorted, so we can have them on line for all to enjoy. It will also ensure that they are saved and not in danger from some kind of natural disaster, flood, or fire. Their work will really save us a lot of time and money. I hope they are enjoying reading through some of them, and I look forward to their final report to hear if they found anything really interesting.

One team of four students is getting out onto the new Tri-Town Ridgeline Forest Preserve. While miles of trails have already been laid out, these students are looking at easy-to-moderate trail loops that can be incorporated into the Hike and Seek program. They are out with cameras looking for targets that can be found even at this time of year. There are plenty of stone structures, water features and amazing old trees up there. The trail map is already posted on line.

This group was also planning to set up a table at the Stonington Farmer’s Market on March 30^th and again on April 6. They will be available to answer questions, talk about Hike and Seek, and invite folks to become members. Stop in and meet them.

The last team is also working on enhancing our on-line resources, particularly the Hike and Seek wildlife links. If you haven’t explored Hike and Seek, please do so. We are trying to engage children and families to get out on Avalonia preserves with an educational focus. By giving them targets to search for on our website, they can use their smart phones and look for special goals and take photos. We have linked certain targets to external links to allow deeper investigation and understanding. This student team is creating cards that highlight the wildlife of all kinds, to be found on local preserves. It will not be all-inclusive, so don’t expect full bird check lists, but an overview of things that may be living near or found along a hiking trail in various habitats. I am looking forward to this one.

The bird list will not be a full checklist, but a way for kids to identify more common birds, like this red-winged blackbird.

With wildlife identification cards a youngster may recognize a red fox during a hike. Photograph by Rick Newton.

For several years, a favorite project has been a table set up at the Stonington Farmer's Market.

Maybe we can all learn more about posting our Avalonia photos on Instagram from one of the teams. 

As diverse as can be

These students are amazing, so diverse in their backgrounds and in their major fields of interest. All have chosen, and been chosen, to be part of this GNCE special program. Their majors include Neuroscience, Economics, Botany, Math, and Government, as well as Environmental Science. Their far-reaching visions are great and their opportunities for study so outstandingly different than when I was in college. This is our seventh year of collaboration. With this generation coming along to take charge, I have hope that the Earth will be in good hands.

The may be some riddles to seek and solve- like what made these scratches on the signs we posted.

Photographs by Beth Sullivan, unless otherwise indicated.

Semester wrap up

A note from Beth: This has been a super year with the students of the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment. Their projects were diverse and energetic. We got some great deliverables, from an amazing Barberry harvest to 1000 likes on Facebook. I always learn so much from these students and their energy and enthusiasm gives me hope for the future. I hope you enjoyed hearing from them as well.

 by Alan Lau

As the spring semester comes to an end, all of the sophomores at GNCE have enjoyed the time spent collaborating with the Avalonia team.

One day Emma Brooks and Julia Neumann ‘20 went on a boundary walk of the Moore Woodlands in Mystic with longtime volunteer Joellen Anderson. They were very lucky to also have Margot Greener, who is a part of the family that originally donated the property, accompany them. Boundary walks are important to make sure that the property isn't being encroached upon and that the wishes of the original landowners are being upheld. Each property should be walked at least once a year (which is a huge undertaking). Joellen had handheld GPS units with the layout of the preserve loaded up so they could follow the boundary all the way around. One way surveyors indicate boundaries is by creating drill holes in stationary rocks as permanent markers. As the day went on, they did their best to pick up some trash as they went but mostly just tried to keep up with Joellen's fiery pace. She made sure to educate them with lessons in history, ecology, local lore, and land conservancy. It was an absolutely beautiful day and a great reason to get outside and help Avalonia.

While we have some students working outside on the land, one student, Haruko Tateyama, has been researching the history of that land. Haruko has been working on a history project that could potentially be used for newsletters and archived on the website. As of now, she has conducted research on Pine Swamp and Avery Preserve both in Ledyard. She also interviewed Ms. Nancy Avery in the course of her research for the Avery Preserve. Furthermore, she will be working on condensing earlier documentation done by past GNCE scholars on Perry Natural Area and Pequotsepos Brook Preserve. All of these properties have great trails and are open for exploration-check the website for more information.

Bailey Aust and Sarah Stephanset up outreach tables at the Stonington Farmers’ Market and at the Mystic Aquarium Earth Day event. They did a great job informing people about Avalonia and even recruited some new members.

Yiyan Ma is working on getting some elementary students out onto a preserve to enjoy the trails and introduce them to Hike and Seek.

Last but not least, the two masterminds that have been running social media for Avalonia this past couple of months are none other than our Marcus Vinicius Pinto Pereira Jr. and Jennifer Rojas, both class of 20’. They have been working on social media outreach for Avalonia, specifically on Facebook. Their objective has been to analyze weekly posts and see which kinds of posts generate more attraction from the pages’ followers. Their goal was to get 1000 likes on Facebook and they achieved that on May 2. They will continue to post until their semester is done. Hopefully Maureen Dewire, Chair of the Communications Committee who has been mentoring them, will be left with information on which types of posts are the most productive. This will benefit Avalonia greatly in the long run because outreach is one of the most important aspects when dealing with non-profit organizations like Avalonia which relies on its volunteers and members.

In conclusion, it has been a wonderful semester for all of us sophomores. Time has flown by so quickly; it feels like I met Beth for the first time yesterday, but it has been several months. As we move forward in our personal lives, we often have a tendency to take the smallest things for granted. Therefore, on behalf of all the sophomores of the GNCE class of 2020 I would like to thank all of the amazing teachers like Beth Sullivan, Jennifer Pagach, and all the mentors who have guided us on this wonderful journey.

Blogger Alan Lau did a great job filling in for me.

At the Aquarium Earth Day events, Bailey, Sarah, Anna, and Avatar presented their projects.

Bailey and Sarah answer questions about Avalonia.

Connecticut College students doing boundary survey at Moore Preserve. Photograph by Joellen Anderson.

Emma and Julia learned Avalonia history from Anne who provided cookies and juice at all the work parties. Photograph by Rick Newton.

History researcher Maruko Tateyama

Haruko has written about the history of the Pine Swamp preserve. If only these old trees could talk.

Photographs by Avalonia volunteers.

Let's eliminate plastic straws

One of the final and most far reaching projects done by the students of the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment is this one by Anna Laprise and Avatar Simpson.

They have not only done a great deal of research, they have also taken their message to the public. They are working on the Connecticut College campus, and hope to bring their message to the greater New London community. They also had an interview on the campus radio station. This was followed by an interview with The New London Day; the article ran Saturday, and can be found here. 

Belowis their project summary and I'm including some of the links and resources they used. Many thanks to MaryEllen Mateleska Director of Education and Conservation at the Mystic Aquarium, for getting this movement started locally, keeping it going, and mentoring these two students.

Avalonia Land Conservancy supports these efforts. We don’t just preserve the land, but aim to protect the waterways and oceans that surround us all.

Beth Sullivan

https://www.strawlessocean.org

https://stopsucking.strawlessocean.org 

https://thelastplasticstraw.org/about-us/last-straw/

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/04/plastic-straws-ocean-trash-environment/

Anna Laprise and Avatar Simpson have tackled a global issue and have gotten a good start on their home campus.

Stop Sucking is a project aimed at promoting the reduction or elimination plastic straw use. This is an extremely important cause due to the negative effects straws have on the environment. To give a sense of the magnitude of the issue, everyday in the United States alone 500 million plastic straws are used. This is enough straws to circle the earth 2.5 times in just one day. Furthermore, due to the type of plastic used in the production of straws, they are unable to be recycled. Thus, every plastic straw that has ever been used is still on the planet, either in the ocean or in a landfill. With these things in mind, it is unsurprising that straws are one of the most littered products in the world.

After hearing these staggering figures, it is important to look at what we, as consumers, can do to help positively impact our environment. One alternative to plastic straws is to simply go without. On average an American uses two straws daily, so one individual skipping straws for one year would save approximately 730 straws. If skipping a straw isn’t an option, a second alternative would be to use paper straws that are either biodegradable or compostable, or switch to reusable straws. Both options would significantly reduce waste, and have a less negative effect on the environment.

Finally, a great way to combat the use of straws can be done by local coffee shops, and restaurants. A simple step that can be taken to limit straw use is to not automatically provide straws. The common saying “out of sight, out of mind,” is an extremely effective method for limiting straw use. Furthermore, a second step that local businesses can take to limit straw use is to advertise the benefits of skipping on a straw. When using positive reinforcement, people feel more motivated to limit their straw use, and leaves an everyone wins sentiment among all parties. As such, these two simple steps can vastly decrease straw use.

Let's work to eliminate straws on the beach.
Photo from thelastplasticstraw.org

In summary, due to the negative environmental effects that straws have on our planet, it is extremely important that everyone does what they can to limit their straw use. There are easy fixes to this large problem that can be done at a personal level or on a business level. As we continue to promote the Stop Sucking initiative at Connecticut College, and in local communities, we want to thank Avalonia Land Conservancy and the Mystic Aquarium for inspiring this project, and for being stewards of this initiative. Specifically, Beth Sullivan, an Avalonia Land Conservancy volunteer, has been an integral component of this project, without her help, this movement wouldn't be where it is now.