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AmeriCorps member in the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area continue to make a great deal of difference at Kump Education Center owned by the City of Elkins. Soon after the City first accepted the Kump property, Logan Smith and Phyllis Baxter began sending intelligent and energetic young people over to help us paint the fence, cleanout the barn, repair windows, replace plaster, and work in the wetland.
In 2015 AmeriCorps member Alyssa Hanna planted 1,000 wetland plants to help channel the stream and improve water quality. After Jane Birdsong and Pam Byrne use the Trout Unlimited water testing methods, we decided that our water was healthy enough for duck, fish, and many macro-invertebrates.
Ten years later AmeriCorps members are still bringing children into the wetland to enjoy the flora and fauna on "Wetland Wednesdays." Kieran Adams is the AmeriCorps member organizing the removal of invasive plants and planning efforts to improve the wetland. He has enlisted several other AmeriCorps members and other volunteers to help teach school children about the wetland.
Wednesday, July 2, YMCA Day Campers came to Kump Center to learn about plants that may have been in the wetland area before the American Revolution. In 1776 colonists may have used some of these plants as candlewicks, cold remedies, or sweeteners. Elderberry is still a common cold remedy. Before 2:30, volunteer Osier Blackthumb had his young students hard at work weaving floor mats with marsh cattail leaves.
This last Wetland Wednesday was a time to look for animals in our wetland. The afternoon began with Eric Gladwell from the DNR checking for fish in the water and finding a creek chub, a white sucker, and a black-nosed dace. US Forest Service AmeriCorps member, Adrianne Thackery helped the students with a bird scavenger hunt, and they saw the robin, catbird, red-winged black bird, cardinal, and mourning dove. Jane Birdsong gave a good lesson on wild water invertebrates.
She explained that invertebrates have no back bones, and she added many specific details such as the fact that dragonfly larvae live two years in a creek before they fly out of the water for their last few summer months of life,
It is clear to me that the Kump property is a great place to learn natural science, and folks like Eric, Jane, Osier, and all the AmeriCorps volunteers add enthusiasm to the learning experience. Kids spend so many hours sitting at the computer now, but I hope we will be able to provide more outdoor "Kumping" experiences for our "Kumpanion," Kieran Adams would write it.