Bridgeport 8th Graders Mark the Second Year of Science in Nature

CAS President Alex Brash (in the blue hat) and Teacher-Naturalist Cat Holmberg (in the brown jacket), work with 8th graders from Bridgeport’s Curiale School. Photo copyright Connecticut Audubon Society

Connecticut Audubon Society President Alex Brash, along with Angela Bhushan, science director of the Bridgeport public school district, spent Tuesday morning in the field with a group of 35 Bridgeport 8th graders, conducting conservation science experiments to mark the second full year of our Science in Nature education program.

The students, from the Curiale School, learned about the ecology of freshwater wetlands at our Larsen Sanctuary in Fairfield. They visited ponds, streams and a marsh, dipped into the muck with nets to search for invertebrates, and tested the water for pH and dissolved oxygen.

They learned that healthy wetlands are essential as feeding, resting and breeding locations for birds and other wildlife, and for ensuring that the region’s drinking water remains clean and safe for people.

In his welcoming talk to the students, Alex Brash said he hoped three things happened during their morning in the woods: that they participated fully and enjoyably in the field experiments; that they enjoyed the beauty of nature as they walked the paths and made their observations; and that they gained an appreciation for the importance of conservation, of open lands and of how each person has a role in protecting and enhancing them.

You can read the Connecticut Post coverage of the morning, and see a gallery of terrific photos, here.  There’s more about our Science in Nature program here.

In our Connecticut State of the Birds 2012 report – “Where Is the Next Generation of Conservationists Coming From?” – we pledged to create more outdoor educational opportunities for more children throughout the state.

Science in Nature grew out of the report and the pledge. Inaugurated a year ago, Science in Nature has already brought more than 2,000 students – from Bridgeport, Meriden, Fairfield and Trumbull – to our sanctuaries for hands-on outdoor science education. Our goal is to help create a deeper, long-term commitment to conservation, as well as contribute to the health and academic success of Connecticut’s students.

Science in Nature is one of the key ways we are carrying out our mission of conserving Connecticut’s environment through science-based education and advocacy focused on the state’s bird populations and habitats.

The program is supported by generous grants from the Perkin Fund, the Horizon Foundation, PTM Charitable Trust and the 3M Corp.