Achievement

Trainees Stacey Blersch and Michal Habbeerfield have instituted a monitoring and assessment protocol to assess the condition of Elton Creek in Delevan, NY, as part of an initial data collection effort for development of a stream and watershed restoration plan. The private owner of a significant reach of this stream is interested in, and has the means to effect, the restoration of the the reach through biointensive stabilization techniques. The landowner and the state government agency overseeing the site (NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation) invited participants of the ERIE-IGERT to be involved in the planning of the project and subsequent scientific monitoring because of the mission of the ERIE program. At least one and possibly both of the trainees view this stream restoration effort as a possible and likely dissertation research topic, and both are working with ERIE-IGERT faculty mentors to formulate the research topics as the overall project moves forward.