A new educational wetland is being constructed for use by Lebanon County teachers and students at the Lebanon
County Career and Technology Center (CTC) during the spring 2002. Kindergarten through college teachers will be
able to use this centrally located wetland as an invaluable tool, providing hands-on learning experiences for
students as teachers implement strategies incorporating the new Science & Technology and Environment &
Ecology Standards into their curriculum.
The construction of the wetland has been made possible by a grant received by the Quittapahilla Creek Watershed
Association (QCWA) from the Department for Community and Economic Development (DCED) and an educational partnership
forged with the CTC. The QCWA received permission and board approval from the CTC Joint Operating Committee to
restore the headwater wetland located on their property. See: photos of the CTC Wetland Project
The central location of this site ensures easy access for all students attending school in Lebanon County. The
educational wetland development plan was created by a county committee of elementary through college teachers,
members of the QCWA, Lebanon County Conservation District, CTC, and the state Department of Environmental
Protection.
This spring the wetland will be restored, creating a safe environment that includes a host of habitats.
Boardwalks will be constructed from upland trails to access wet areas and provide students with the opportunity to
collect water and soil samples. In addition to the restoration of the wetland, a pavilion will be constructed
complete with benches, tables, electricity, and a storage shed. A continuum of successional stages will be created
allowing students to observe, collect, measure, and study concepts such as watersheds, wetlands, ecosystems, and
their interactions; threatened, endangered, and extinct species; as well as a whole host of other topics related to
the new Science standards.
Students and teachers are the key to this project's success. Students will be involved in the planting of
wetland species appropriate to this environment. This living lab will provide teachers with an opportunity to
engage their students in hands-on learning, involve them in the development of the wetlands, provide ongoing
monitoring of the wetlands, and the study of its habitats.
For more information about this project or to learn about getting your students involved, contact Ralph Heister,
biology teacher, Lebanon High School, Lebanon School District and QCWA liaison at 273-9391 (rheister@lebanon.k12.pa.us) or Leigh Beamesderfer, Lebanon County
Conservation District, 272-3908.
