GLADSTONE - The Gladstone Nature Preserve had its first student visitors since it opened in September with new developments. The Gladstone High School environmental chemistry class visited the site during a water testing field trip last Tuesday.
The Nature Preserve, located ont North 15 Street, Gladstone, is 52 acres of wetlands which are habitat for a variety of wildlife and waterfowl species. The preserve, which was created in 2002, was opened to the public in September with several added features including viewing platforms and walkways, which allow bigger groups of people to visit the site.
In addition to using one of the viewing platforms for a lesson on the importance of clean water to eco-systems, the environmental chemistry class also enjoyed the rare experience of testing the waters of a 100-year-old artesian well.
"There was an old homestead there at one time where people must have drilled the well," said teacher Tim Barron. "It's been there for ages - must have been 100 years or so. We wanted to test that water for various pollutants from the groundwater."
Barron said his students have been learning how to test water for pollutants and he decided to bring them to the nature preserve as part of a water testing field trip. Although they visited several water sites on the trip, Barron said the students found the artesian well at the Gladstone Nature Preserve to be the most fascinating.
"The artesian well wowed them the most - to see the water flowing out like that out of the ground without a pump...," he said. "It's definitely a point of interest. It makes the students think about the history of Gladstone...so it's multi-disciplinary.
Barron said the nature preserve should prove a useful learning tool for future lessons and other classes.
"It's a nice place to get out," he said. "I think a biology class could go down there and see a huge diversity of birds. Because the schools are surrounded by buildings, it's a place to go out and see nature, it's close by the school and very easy to get to."
Being able to use the wetlands as an outdoor classroom and an educational tool for local schools and the public, was one of the main goals in mind when Gladstone Community Development decided to create a nature preserve.
"The preserve was designed as an outdoor classroom always in the hopes that the city would be able to partner with the schools to have regular classrooms going out there," said Gladstone Community Developement Assistant Director Renee Barron. "Since the (viewing) platform was built, it was the first opportunity to give area a place for people to gather and be able to participate in classroom activities."
Barron said the hope is that more teachers and classrooms will visit the preserve.
Haulotte said the hope was to allow the community to utilize the educational and recreational opportunities provided by the wetlands area, while also ensuring the wetlands and wildlife that inhabit them are protected and conserved.
The Nature Preserve project is still in the early phases. Future plans for the area include extending the walkways, constructing environmentally-friendly restrooms, planting native trees, adding benches and picnic tables, and installing signs with information on nearby plant and wildlife species. Barron said the site will continue to be more people-friendly as more boardwalks in.
The Gladstone Nature Preserve is open to the public.
