Molly Ockett School Maine Environmental Science Academy:
For many years, we’ve had a relationship with Molly Ockett School’s interdisciplinary 6-8th grade MESA program. This year has been no different and last month I co-led a walk along Hut Brook with Ed Poliquin from the Kezar Lake Watershed Association.
On Tuesday, October 15, 35 MESA students and their three teachers joined Brian Hammond and me to explore the fen.
Brian discussed eco-hydrology and conducted a few field tests.
Lesson learned: water in the Old Course of the Saco River has radically different pH and conductivity levels compared to the water in the kettle hole and fen. The simple, yet complicated reason is the species of plants that grow there and their need to absorb nutrients found in the water.
The kids listened intently, took notes, and shared their learnings with each other.
Then they picked cranberries. This young man filled his bag first and earned the title of 2019 MESA Cranberry Champ.