Eastbayri.com

BRISTOL — Mt. Hope High School science teacher Christine Bean and the students in her environmental science and marine biology classes have received recognition for their restoration efforts of Silver Creek saltmarsh and funds to keep the good work going.

On Jan. 17, the Environmental Council of Rhode Island Education Fund presented Ms. Bean and her students with the Lorraine Tisdale Environmental Award at the high school. With the award comes a $250 grant to help restore the marsh. The funds will be used to obtain saltwater cord grass to be planted in the marsh.

The project at Silver Creek saltmarsh began several years ago with the late Marcia King, a Mt. Hope High science teacher who used the natural resource as an educational tool for her students. She partnered with Save Bristol Harbor and Save The Bay to have her students join the organizations in planting saltwater cord grass (native to the marsh) to help fight back invasive common weeds that were choking the flow of water to the harbor. As part of the class, students also take water samples to monitor the level of salinity in the marsh, analyze the estuary for changes, record the vegetation and species observed there, and discuss the impact people have on the marsh.

When Ms. King died two years ago, other teachers stepped up to continue the project. Ms. Bean has taken it on for this school year. During the fall, students visited the marsh twice a month to track its health and progress and plan the next steps. To compare their findings to what is found in a healthy estuary, the students visit Colt State Park.

Senior Keegan White-O’Brien of Warren finds that the hands-on approach complements what he learns in the classroom.

“We measure things like salinity and water temperature, and look for different plant species and fish,” Keegan said.

The grant application submitted by Ms. Bean and biology teacher Joseph Koger was selected, in part, because the selection committee felt the $250 would help them make significant progress in their project. Mt. Hope was one of three high schools in the state to receive the award this year.

Students will plant saltwater cord grass seeds in the spring and, once grown, transplant the grass to Silver Creek.

“The whole idea is to incorporate marine biology and environmental science. That was the purpose of the project,” Ms. Bean said.

If successful, the students’ efforts will be a benefit to the community, with grasses creating a natural barrier to the flood-prone creek.

“It’s a great honor for Christine, our students and our schools,” said assistant superintendent Mario Andrade of the grant award.

For the friends and colleagues of Ms. King, getting this award was a significant recognition.

“This project is very sentimental to us,” said science teacher Denise Fontana.