In October of 2024, DRA partnered with the Defiance Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) for two 6th-grade conservation field trips! This was our second year partnering for these events!
First, we visited the Phosphorus-Optimal Research Wetland with USACE. On this date, DRA staff worked with Defiance County’s 6th graders to learn more about how to use microscopes and conduct water tests. This included one station in which water was collected from three different locations–the Maumee River at Pontiac Park, the Defiance Municipal Reservoir, and local tap water. Students were then encouraged to help test the water and use critical thinking skills to figure out which sample came from which place. See the photo album below!
The second trip was to Penney Nature Center, intending to educate students about water quality and its critical impact on the ecosystem. Our staff showed students the importance of macroinvertebrates in the water, explaining how they can serve as indicators of environmental health. Students engaged in hands-on activities, like looking for macros in a nearby pond and identifying them, or looking at the different species of pre-identified samples under microscopes! See the album below:
