Conservation Field Day

Every September, 5th and 6th graders from Hamilton County schools have the opportunity to attend the Lynn Galusha Memorial Conservation Field Day  (CFD), an outdoor event held at the HCSWCD’s nature trail. Activities and presentations have ranged from fire safety, wildlife, stream biomonitoring, forestry, pH, wilderness survival and first aid, to groundwater, soil erosion, bear ecology and trapping. Students circulate through all six stations and take notes on the presentations. After lunch, a final presentation is given, with past demonstrations on New York State reptiles and amphibians, fire safety, and canine handling. Fifth graders may enter the essay contest, and sixth graders may submit a poster illustrating what they learned during CFD. Submissions are judged and awards are presented at school assemblies.

2010 Essay and Poster Contest Winners
Congratulations to the 91 students who participated in this year's essay and poster contests. 

5th Grade Essay Contest Countywide Winners
1st Place:  Ryan Bolebruch - Wells Central School
2nd Place:  Macie Smith - Indian Lake Central School
3rd Place:  Hannah Gianott - Lake Pleasant Central School

6th Grade Poster Contest Countywide Winners
1st Place:  Rebekah Weaver - Lake Pleasant Central School
2nd Place:  Morgan Sovey -  Long Lake Central School
3rd Place:  Madeline Pierce - Piseco Common School

Wells Central School.  Ryan Bolebruch - Countywide first place, School first place essay.

Our class went to Lake Pleasant for Conservation Field Day.  We walked through the woods on trails and visited 6 stations.  The topic was about environmental conservation.  My favorite station was macroinvertebrates.  I view macroinvertebrates differently now. 

Encon Officers test streams for pollution.  They use a net to capture macroinvertebrates.  They put the net at the bottom of the stream and kick the bottom of the stream.  They can tell if the water is polluted by the bugs.  Some macroinvertebrates can tolerate pollution.  Others need clean waters to live.  It’s cheap because a chemical test costs $5,000. 

Some macroinvertebrates can’t tolerate pollution and need clean water.  Mayfly nymphs are immature bugs.  They are sensitive to most types of pollution including low dissolved oxygen, pesticides, acid, and chlorine.  The pollution would kill the Mayfly.  They need a lot of oxygen.  Stonefly nymphs are sensitive to pollution except acids.  Caddisfly larvae are mostly sensitive.  They make a home at the of a stream. 

Some bugs can tolerate pollution.  Midge larvae can survive almost anywhere.  They can thrive in water with to many nutrients.  Some species of black fly larvae are tolerant of organic enrichment, while others are intolerant of pollutants.  Segmented worms and leeches can thrive under conditions of severe pollution and very low oxygen levels. 

To conclude, now I view macroinvertebrates differently.  They are not just bugs in the water.  They can tell us if there is a pollution problem. 

Wells Central School. Daniel O’Connor -  School first place poster.


Piseco Common School.  Madeline Pierce - Countywide third place, School first place poster.


Long Lake Central School Morgan Sovey - Countywide third place and school first place poster.  Lillian Dechene - School first place essay.


Lake Pleasant Central School.  Rebekah Weaver - Countywide first place and school first place poster.  Hannah Gianott - Countywide third place and school first place essay. 


Inlet Common School.  Brendan Kelly - School first place poster.  Madison Payne - School first place essay. 


Indian Lake Central School.  Macie Smith - Countywide second place and School first place essay. 
 

Wheelerville Union Free School
Chelsey Small - School first place essay.  Alissa Brower - School first place poster. 

 Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Bill Farber welcomed 104 students to the 31^st Annual Lynn Galusha Memorial Conservation Field Day

Students from 7 area schools participated in HCSWCD's 31st Annual Conservation Field Day event. 

HCSWCD Board of Directors member Ed Winchell volunteered as Official Horn Blower, sounding the horn at the end of each 15 minute presentation to signal rotation to the next station.

Students take notes while Joe San Antonio (Trail Blazers) shows how them to be safe in the backcountry.   


Students learn how much power it takes to power different types of light bulbs by riding the Energy Bike during Nancy Welch’s (Hamilton County Cornell Cooperative Extension) presentation.


Tom Colarusso (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) teaches students about invasive insects. 

Students learn just how much fun recycling can be with Bill Weaver (Lake Pleasant Transfer Station).

Rob Streeter and Vince Spadaro (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) show students the different kinds of aquatic critters found in streams. 

Caitlin Stewart (Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District) discusses the important functions of wetlands with 5^th and 6^th graders. 


Students had the opportunity to get up close and personal with birds of prey during the final presentation, including Raisin, a female Screech Owl.  Thank you to Wendy and Steve Hall of the Adirondack Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. 


Students asked fantastic question during Wendy and Steve Hall's final presentation:  Birds of Prey.