Camels Hump Students Win Environmental Award

A community mapping project conducted in 2003 and 2004 by 60 seventh- and eighth-grade students in Richmond, Vermont earned an Environmental Education and Pollution Prevention Award from the State of Vermont on December 8.

The Sequoia Team at Camel's Hump Middle School won for their work on a project conducted at the Richmond Land Trust's Warren and Ruth Beeken Rivershore Preserve on Cochran Road. Paralleling the Winooski River, the preserve includes a silver-maple, ostrich-fern floodplain forest, one of the last forests of its type in Vermont.

The project was led by teachers Sandra Fary, Carol Livingstone and Carol McNair. With help from Lou Borie, a member of the Land Trust's board, plus about 30 other members of the community, students researched the historical, cultural and natural significance of the landscape. Each week, groups traveled to the preserve to examine its geology, soils, plants, animals, weather and climate, slope and aspect, and hydrology.

As a result of the research and field work, the students designed a web page and created a multitude of maps for local organizations. They used GIS and GPS equipment to map a three-mile trail through the rich landscape. They prepared presentations for town meeting day, the evening "Walks and Talks" series, the Richmond Land Trust annual meeting, the Richmond Select Board, and the community and parents. Working collaboratively, the class connected not only with the place they call home, but also with local scientists who guided their landscape-level inquiries.

In making the award, Governor Jim Douglas noted, "As Vermonters the choice is ours to see either a world of possibilities or a world of problems. Those honored today have clearly chosen to see the world of possibilities and achieved excellence in pursuit of a preferred future. We can learn from their experiences and share in the joy of their achievement."

Founded in 1972, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) is a non-profit 501(c)3, member-supported organization dedicated to protecting our natural heritage through education and research. The VINS Community Mapping Program supports students, educators, and community groups in a process of local inquiry. Students work with spatial tools, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS), to explore their communities and address local needs. Project outcomes may include maps, interpretive guides, databases, displays, and web pages. More information about the program can be found at www.vinsweb.org.

Link to Photo: http://www.vinsweb.org/assets/jpg/CMPSequoiaAward.jpg

Photo Caption: Governor Jim Douglas presents an Environmental Education and Pollution Prevention Award to members of the 2003/2004 Sequoia Class at Camels Hump Middle School and project volunteers on December 8.