Trinity First Grade Visits the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center
Despite the cold, rainy weather on Monday, the First Grade
class truly enjoyed their visit to the Chesapeake Bay Outdoor Learning Center.
Under the watchful eyes of the chaperons, teachers and center experts the
students had the opportunity to search the hummock in the woods, for
invertebrate.
They were excited to encounter roly polys, slugs, snails and
other insects. After enjoying their packed lunches in the indoor space, they
were delighted to be able to explore Chesapeake Bay oyster, Crassotrea
virginica, which to their great delight were teaming with mud crabs, gilly fish
and transparent shrimp. It was a hands on way to experience how the oyster
reefs provide habitats for fish, crabs and other Bay organisms.
They learned
about how these oysters are the Bay’s most valuable fishery and that they are
very important for the local environment because the clean the water by
filtering algae, sediment and other pollutants. The students were taught about
the dire conditions of the native oyster population, which has been estimated
to be at 1% of its historic level. They were told how critical it is to try to
conserve and restore them to improve the quality of water in the Chesapeake Bay
which would then help the local economy.
At the end of the trip they also had
the opportunity for a close up visit with a rescued native Screech Owl and the
day ended with a visit to the other rescued residents, two Red Tailed hawks and
a couple of Great Horned barn owl.
