Coastal Studies Students Provide Wetland Advice for Culler Lake

Culler Lake, located within Baker Park, is a few short blocks from Hood College and serves as relaxing green space for The City of Frederick. In 2016, three constructed wetlands were installed at the lake to improve water quality, provide habitat and protect the lake sides from erosion. The wetlands were planted with nine native plant species according to original construction plans. Over the years, minimal maintenance was conducted in the wetlands themselves, and it was noted that many more plant species were growing in the wetlands. Local community group Friends of Baker Park was unsure if these new plants were of concern to the habitat and whether maintenance measures were needed. They approached Hood College-Center for Coastal & Watershed Studies (Hood-CCWS) for assistance. The project was selected by students enrolled in the College's Coastal Studies Program, an intensive semester-long, travel-based, experiential program immersing students in current environmental problems facing social and natural systems within our Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

At the start of the semester, Michael Paskowsky, Friend of Baker Park Board Member, provided the students with a presentation on the history of Culler Lake, describing the earlier restoration projects and his group's concerns. The class developed their community-based research to provide an in-depth survey of plant species in the wetlands, identifying plants which have populated the area over five years, comparing those to the original 2016 planting list, and identifying whether the plants are native or invasive. Under guidance from Hood's staff & faculty, students learned how to identify wetland plant species, evaluate each species' percent cover, research each plant's characteristics within a wetland habitat and develop hypotheses on plant diversity in small groups. The class used the results of the survey to create recommendations for a management plan to support future maintenance of the wetlands conducted by The City of Frederick.

At the end of the semester, the students collaboratively presented their findings and recommendations to representatives of the Friends of Baker Park, The City of Frederick and members of the community. They also hosted a poster session allowing attendees to ask questions and learn about the more in-depth small group research projects. Overall, the students found the Culler Lake wetlands to have high plant diversity, with the majority of the species being native to the region. Several species were identified that were not originally planted during the wetland's initial construction; however, many were considered to be unique and beneficial to the wetland habitat. Eight plant species were identified as invasive, potentially causing harm by aggressively taking over space and competing for resources with other plants and, therefore, were recommended for removal with techniques suggested by the students. A proposed maintenance schedule was also included in the students' plans.

The partnership served as a successful mechanism for students to transform their academic research into meaningful and useful information that can be used by both Friends of Baker Park and The City of Frederick in future decision-making processes. Engaging in community-based, environmental stewardship positively serves all partners involved in the research, as well as our larger Frederick community. Michael Paskowsky explained, "I can't imagine a more beneficial partnership. Highly motivated Hood students utilized Culler Lake as a learning laboratory. The semester-long and COVID-impacted practicum provide a unique learning experience that will have real word solutions. It will guide the management of the lake. It's another example of our long-standing relationship."

If you would like to learn more about the project or Hood College's Coastal Semester, visit the Hood-CCWS website for contact information.