August 25, 2023
The wind has changed and the end of the season is upon us. The SSWA crew put in 4 months of hard work and it’s now safe to say they are ready for hibernation!
The final week was busy as we cleaned gear, finished up surveys and processed data. Ashton just couldn’t stay away and came out of his brief retirement to help us wrap up some loose ends. Monday through Wednesday the crew split into two teams. Half went to check on bird boxes and prepare them for next year’s tenants while the other half donned their waders for our yearly macroinvertebrate surveys.
These macroinvertebrate surveys are important as macroinvertebrates act as bioindicators, these small critters are some of the first things affected by poor or polluted water. Macroinvertebrates not only give us an insight into the health of our streams but they also provide food for the hungry fish! Some of the bugs were cuter than others and some of the crew had to learn to be brave when sorting through the specimens. Thursday was park maintenance and it seems the little frogs have moved right in and made themselves at home in several of our nature parks. Friday the crew suited up for a paddling adventure down a stream and into the DeSable estuary.
We closed out the season with lots of good food. We wish all of our students well in the coming semesters and we hope to see them again next year. Until next time, stop and say hello to the frogs.
Love, SSWA
