Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

Throughout my high school career, I have become very passionate towards the preservation and restoration of the environment. In my junior year of high school, I founded and environmental awareness club known as the Green Titans and established a recycling program in my high school. While my junior year was full of huge steps towards protecting the environment, I decided to advance myself further into my environmental impaction. I knew that I wanted to make a difference in how people not only see, but treat their environment, which is the main reason why I chose to participate in an Apprentice Ecologist Project on behalf of the Nicodemus Wilderness Project.
This year, with the help of my FCCLA chapter, I purchased new recycling bins for our school. Because my school was rebuilt this year, I thought that our student body should become a â€œgreenerâ€ group of individuals. I set up an account with Progress Rail to recycle the aluminum cans that are extracted from the various recycled materials from our school to get money that will be used to ship our schoolâ€™s shoes for Soles 4 Souls. Soles 4 Souls recycles old shoes and distributes newer shoes to those kids in need of shoes. I am hosting a Souls 4 Soles drive in 2015 to collect shoes to send to be recycled. Other than my commitment to recycling, I have been taking an online course through the Illinois Virtual School where I have been studying AP Environmental Science.
In my studies, I have learned how water quality can be affected and the steps that need to be taken to reverse the effects of the damage. After studying water quality online, I decided to continue my research of water quality in my Advanced Topics science class at my high school. I have been reviewing the water quality of a local body of water in order to gather enough evidence to propose changes to the local government officials that govern over the body of water. I understood that the body of water was located near areas of intense agricultural development, which could greatly impact the quality of the body of water; however, I also knew that the water was frequently used for fishing, swimming, and other recreational activities that could be impacted by poor water quality. In my studies, I have tested numerous sections of the water such as the dissolved oxygen levels, the nitrate levels, the temperature changes, the total phosphate levels, and the pH levels to see if environmental harms such as runoff from the nearby fields have changed their qualities.
A dissolved oxygen test measures the volume of oxygen that is dissolved within that water. Dissolved oxygen is vital to the life of all aquatic organisms because without oxygen, the organisms would suffocate to death. A pH test measures the acidity or alkaline levels within that water body. pH levels below 7 are considered acidic, and pH levels above 7 are considered more alkaline. Water that is too alkaline or too acidic are inhabitable by animals. Temperature describes the average rate at which particles move in that water. If the water temperature is too high, meaning that the water particles are moving faster, it can scold and kill the organisms that live in it. If the water is too cold, the particles are slowed in movement, then organisms can freeze to death. Higher temperatures remove dissolved oxygen from the water, and colder temperatures slow metabolic procedures. Nitrates allow organisms to break down and synthesize proteins and amino acids. Too much nitrate can cause an overgrowth of plant life known as eutrophication. These plants can consume all of the dissolved oxygen in the water, suffocating all other organisms in the water. Phosphate is vital to the sustainability of life, just like nitrate; however, if there is too much of it, it can kill all organisms in the water. Tests like these are used to calculate water quality. For example, lower dissolved oxygen can indicate water pollution, or higher levels of acidity indicates water pollution. Because water quality tests can determine the levels of pollution of the water, testing the quality of water can help to determine pollutants that can be addressed as to not harm the water.
Using the Vernier and Pasco technologies, I reviewed the information about the body of water from the fall to the winter and discovered that the water quality of Lake Storey was declining week by week. Critically thinking, I was curious as to why the water quality would decline after the harvest season, beings that there would be no chemical runoff from pesticides and fertilizers. I reviewed the information again to try to find a source of error when I realized that one of two situations was occurring: either the fertilizers were stabilizing the water, or the chemical additives were being added to the water during the harvest season to clean the water of the chemical runoff. Both circumstances were clearly interrupted by the winter weather, which has caused the water quality to decline. Even though the water quality was still at average water quality levels, it was still concerning to see the water quality levels drop up to two points a week.
The consistent decline of water quality as the seasons change very disappointing of the local governmental system. While few people swim or fish in the water while it is frozen over, there are still animals living within the water, animals that will die if the water quality becomes to poor. If the water quality becomes too polluted or lacks vial nutrients needed for the animals to survive, then the animals will die off, causing a lack of wildlife in the water. Not only does that concern me, but those people that use the lake throughout the warmer seasons could be harmed by poor water quality and the lack of fish in the water. People fish here all the time. They swim here all the time. So, if the water quality is poor and the fish are all gone, then wonâ€™t this drastically affect the people who use the water? Taking care of Lake Storey throughout the year is critical in sustaining the livelihood of both the animals that live in the water, but also the humans that interact with the water.
My study provides critical information regarding the quality of water of Lake Storey. Providing the local government of Galesburg, Illinois with this information could exemplify to them how the water quality is being changed after the harvest. This information can help me to explain to them the effects on the local inhabitants of the water and how their decline could affect those that use the water as well. Taking all of my information into consideration, the Galesburg City government could implement new and effective policies that could help to enhance the quality of life for both the animals and people that use Lake Storey.
By studying the water quality of this local body of water, I was able to expand my knowledge of scientific discovery and reasoning in order to not only benefit myself, but also help others that use the water. Before performing this experiment, I had no idea the harms that can occur in marine ecosystems other than the most obvious examples such as oil spills and toxic waste dumping. Now that I have conducted the experiment, I know how to test water quality and how to gather enough information to support my case to local government officials. My background in environmental science will be carried over into my studies in college as I develop my knowledge of political science. I will conduct similar experiments as to propose new legislation to local or state officials in order to protect the environment. Because I want to become a senator in the future, I want to use my knowledge of conducting such an experiment in order to draft and legislate public policy that can benefit all members of the environment and not just humans.