Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. Employee Provides Environmental Education to Cedar Lane Elementary School Students

Ashburn, VA, November 06, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Chris Plummer, an Environmental Planner out of the Herndon branch office of Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. (WEG), recently led a field excursion with nearly 130 first graders at Cedar Lane Elementary School. The primary focus of the trip was to examine a nearby pond as part of the class science curriculum in order to provide real-life examples of how the environment changes as the seasons change. Chris, knowledgeable in local flora and fauna, provided the students with an opportunity to get up close and personal with local insect and aquatic wildlife. He discussed a variety of behaviors and processes related to fish, amphibians, bugs, and animals and how they prepare for cold weather. Chris also took the opportunity to talk about water quality and how it relates to the health of the animals. The group discussed the fact that less than 1% (~0.85%) of all water on earth can be used for human consumption and how littering and contamination (over-fertilizing, chemicals, pollution, etc.) affects water quality and thus water availability.

It was a fortunate trip in that Chris had gone out early in the morning to humanely catch several species of bugs (dragonfly larvae, water beetles, crawfish, aquatic snails, horse-hair worm), fish (catfish, fantailed darter, mosquito fish, white sucker, bass, assorted sun fish), and amphibians (green frog, tadpoles), placing each into specimen jars for the students to look at through magnifying lenses. The students were thrilled to see the different bugs and fish up close. Chris fielded a variety of questions from the students, including things like: “what do these animals do when the ice is on the water?” and “what happens to these animals if the water is bad?” which in turn led to a discussion on the quality of the water in the county. The accompanying parents made several pertinent inquiries as well regarding water quality such as “will buffers truly help these streams and the water quality in the county and [Chesapeake] Bay?” along with questions regarding the different species of bugs and fish and what their presence represents for water conditions.

This is the third time Chris has volunteered to conduct this field trip, having led a similar trip with the school back in 2008 and 2009. He is also planning on helping Smarts Middle School again this year with their water quality testing exercises on Lime Stone Branch in Loudoun County as well as another field trip in the spring at Cedar Lane. When asked about his commitment, Chris replied, “To be able to show these kids the diversity of life around them and see them, and their parents, begin to understand that what we do everyday affects not only us, but all the organisms living around us, is very rewarding. The best way to improve and protect our environment is to educate those who will be in charge of it in the future.”

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About WEG:
Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. (WEG) is a full-service environmental consulting and engineering firm that serves both the public and private sectors in providing simple, cost-effective solutions to today's complex environmental problems. We offer specialized environmental services in the areas of ecology, environmental planning, water resources, ecology, stream assessment and restoration, landscape architecture, golf course planning, construction administration, and regulatory support.

www.wegnet.com

Public Relations Contact:
Alexis Diggs
Phone 757.220.6869
adiggs@wegnet.com