September 28, 2009

Watershed Days.
by Cori Stanek

Asha Bienkowski & Colleen Ferris make use of snorkels to spot fish in the pools of Smith Creek.

We’ve taken on new silhouettes this week at Connections as rubber, neoprene, and breathing apparatuses have become staples to our days in the field. Over the past week the L&Lers have hiked up creeks, poked curious faces into pool habitats, and gone for late night swims all in the name of stream and wetland ecology. Its been an adventurous week of Watershed Dynamics:

Brooke Stallings

We returned to Smith Creek, the starting point of our backpacking trip, for a day of stream typing and learning the tools of the trade for stream surveying in the field.

Colleen and the students measuring bankful width at Smith Creek.
Emily Gamm using the scope to measure slope.	Instructor Andrea Stevens and Will Bennington.

A tour of Swan Valley wetland ecology brought us to a number of different sites along Lindberg Lake. Perhaps most notably, a fen—a groundwater fed peatland. A rare wetland ecosystem that was fascinating to explore.

Exploring a fen on the Swan wetlands tour.

Will Bennington

As an exultant end to our week of watersheds, the students suited up in neoprene wetsuits, snorkel masks, and underwater spotlights to survey fish species in the Swan River. We were lucky to get a warm, clear night to go exploring in the river’s riffles and pools—coming face to face with trout, sculpin, and even river otters!

The L&L crew ready and raring to go on night snorkeling night. Back: Colleen Ferris, Cori Stanek (intern), Amelia O’Connor, Will Bennington, Pate Barnes, Leah Swartz, Emily Gamm, Dan Murphy, Zach Wallace (instructor), Tyler Lavenburg Front: Anna McEvoy, Celeste Mascari, Sam Berry, Maria McEvoy

The down-stream kick-netting crew on night snorkeling night. Maria McEvoy, Cori Stanek, Brooke Stallings, Colleen Ferris, Chance Hulett (community member)

Though our week was wonderfully saturated by the intriguing habitats and characteristics of water, we also took a day to explore a bit of the history of our valley with Steve Lamar and a host of community members.

Students had the opportunity to spend the afternoon with Leonard Moore, an important figure in the community history of the Swan.

Instructor Steve Lamar, Will Bennington and the L&Lers learned about fire suppression history on the Swan Landscape while in the Cooney Creek fire look-out.

Its been another good week with Landscape & Livelihood!