AP Environmental Science
On Friday, September 20, Mrs. Muchoney’s AP Environmental Science students traveled through an acid mine drainage site with the Sewickley Creek Watershed Association.
During the event on September 20, the Sewickley Creek Watershed Association (SCWA) had over 100 students and experts registered for the event, including station educators, volunteers, chaperones, and board members.
After arriving around 9:30 am on Friday, Mrs. Muchoney’s students got off the bus to see the local Fire Company. Later, the students and volunteers were split into nine student groups and nine educational stations before they embarked on the tour of the abandoned acid mine site. Each student and chaperone briefly introduced themselves and the school they were from — as there were over seven schools at the event — before they headed off to the site.
“This field trip was important for my students to attend because they were able to learn a lot about wetlands ecology, water chemistry, and the mining and cultural heritage of this region,” said Mrs. Muchoney, Norwin Envirothon advisor and AP Environmental Science teacher. “Many coal mines closed before the implementation of modern environmental regulations. As a result, Pennsylvania has many acid mine drainage sites in need of mitigation. We were literally able to see the difference as the water progressed through the wetland system and transitioned from bright orange to clear water.”
The students attending the trip were encouraged to wear older shoes, to avoid getting them stained with too much iron oxide as they walked around the site. From station to station, the Envirothon and AP Environmental Science students traversed around the site to each of the nine stations. While some stations focused on biodiversity — requiring students to assess the diversity in wildlife at the site — other stations focused on the chemistry behind the iron oxide in the water (making it appear orange).
“One of my favorite [stations] was building the birdhouse with my group members,” said a Norwin Envirothon student. “It’s always nice to do something hands-on especially when we create birdhouses to help the environment.”
After eating lunch at a Pavillion, the SCWA provided a variety of souvenirs for the students to shop from. From ball caps to t-shirts, many of Mrs. Muchoney’s students bought products to support the organization’s mission: to improve waterways, build canoe and kayak launches, stock fish in Sewickley Creek, and plant trees to aid in increased biodiversity.
“The most important thing that I learned on this field trip was that even a huge problem like acid mind drainage can be addressed through low-cost solutions,” said Mrs. Muchoney. “The acid mine drainage mitigation site at Sewickley Creek is the lowest cost system in the country, but it is very effective at remediating the water quality.”
Check out this article from the Tribune-Review to learn more about the event at Sewickley Creek Watershed, written by Jeff Himler.
The Sewickley Creek Watershed Association is also actively looking for more volunteers — where students can earn service hours and job experiences while also making a positive impact on the community. Interested students should check out the SCWA website for more information.
The AP Environmental Science students also actively participate in laboratory activities to assess biodiversity on the Norwin campus. Recently, the students have been working on a lab to compare the biodiversity of different soil samples — between a forest ecosystem and a field ecosystem.
Dorothy McCauley • Oct 9, 2024 at 9:39 am
Wonderful article. It’s encouraging to know that young people are interested in improving their environment.