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EDUCATION SWAT students track progress of stream restoration efforts Comment By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News A team of high school students from Logos Public Charter School spent the greater part of their Wednesday documenting the progress of the Bear Creek Riparian Restoration Project on behalf of the supervising agency, the Rogue Valley Council of Governments. One day a month the student volunteers assume the responsibilities of professional field scientist and set transects, identify and count native and invasive plants species within randomly-selected plots, and document data that will be utilized by the restoration hosts to gauge the progress of their efforts. Not just a class field trip, the Student Watershed Assessment Team (SWAT), established by the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, patrols local riparian areas on behalf of agencies and organizations who often lack the time and resources to monitor their efforts, explained Oregon State University Extension instructor Rachel Werling. “They get it done,” she said pointing to six students hunched over a patch of vegetation about 100 feet off the greenway. “It’s an awesome experience, and the data gets collected.” The Bear Creek Riparian Restoration Project encompasses about 15 acres along Bear Creek between Jackson Street and McAndrews Road. In 2014, crews sprayed and removed blackberry bushes that had infested the area and planted about 800 native trees and shrubs in an effort to improve wildlife habitat, decrease erosion and provide shade for the creek. “We’re out here to monitor how the restoration is doing,” Werling said. “Did the invasive treatment work? Are the invasive plants taking over and not allowing the native plants to work?” “Ideally, we’d like to have a nice tall riparian forest here that would shade and keep the water cool for the salmon,” she said. Wednesday was SWAT’s eighth field day since the program was formed last fall. The team spent three field days in the winter examining the growth of restoration plantings in the Denman Wildlife Area along Little Butte Creek for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. And next month, SWAT will be taking post-restoration photos of the Crooked Creek Riparian Restoration Project. On Wednesday, Adria Tollefson, 15, and Emily Kimmel, 16, identified various species of trees and shrubs within a designated spot by evaluating the leaves, bark, alignment of branches and smell. For example, white oak leaves have rounded edges, and black oak leaves have more pointed edges, explained Tollefson. The girls also measured each species taller than six inches, tried to determine whether they had been grazed or “browsed by beavers,” and passed the information along to McKayla Cragnotti, 15, and Kaylie Turner, 16, who recorded the data in charts and in an iPad application, respectively. Tollefson and Kimmel said they joined SWAT because they loved science and the outdoors. Turner said she is interested in pursuing science in college and is trying to narrow her options and gain field experience. “And I’m just here for the credits,” Cragnotti said. Meanwhile, Benjamin Harris, 17, and Ethan Dye, 12, were tasked with determining the percentage of invasive and native plant cover in the small plots. “We can pool all the info for this area and come back in five years and see if it’s working,” Werling said. Reach education reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas_mt . By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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