Projects focus on bioplastics and magnetism, efficient irrigation, and other topics.
Madalyn Thrap, 16, a student from Animas High School, discusses her project about bioplastics Wednesday at the San Juan Resilience Youth Summit, which was held in Fort Lewis College’s Ballroom. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Wednesday’s San Juan Resilience Youth Summit saw nearly 100 middle- and high school students present their research projects at Fort Lewis College. The projects covered a variety of topics and each tied the environment or society back towards the theme resilience.
The 2019 theme of resilience was linked to wildfires, which were created after the 416 fire. Amanda Kuenzi, Mountain Studies Institute community scientist director, stated that students met with land experts to discuss the impact of scorched earth on flooding in the future year.
Last year, students conducted research on topics related to resilience around water. All topics related to resilience are welcome at the table this year.
Sophie Nay Ostendorp, 14, from St. Columba School, discusses her project about experimenting in E. coli. This was Wednesday at the San Juan Resilience Youth Summit. The event took place in the Ballroom of Fort Lewis College. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Madalyn Tharp’s study on sustainability of bioplastics versus regular polymers was one example of the projects that were presented in FLCs Student Union Building Ballroom. Tharp, a 10th Grade Animas High school student, found that bioplastics don’t live up to the hype, at least not without a large, professional composting facility.
I was trying find out if bioplastics can be used in Durango. After conducting extensive research and doing tests, I realized that bioplastics were not technically superior to regular plastics.
Tharp used both homemade bioplastics and plastics made by large corporations. She found that professional composting was necessary to properly degrade them all. Her conclusion? Her conclusion?
She said that people need to consider all aspects of environmental issues when they are considering them. They must look at it for themselves and be critical thinkers.
Another project involved the Dolores watershed. AJ Saiz is a sophomore at Southwest Open School, Cortez. He interned with Montezuma Land Conservancy to discover his passion for water system design. His project was about learning where springwater runsoff flows.
Saiz stated that water is what will get him where he wants to go. He spoke out about climate change, shortening winter, and learning about the origins of water.
Jay Loschert from Montezuma Land Conservancy stated that Saiz interned at its 83-acre research/education farm in Lewis.
Loschert collaborated with Saiz to conduct research on how to better irrigate farmland. They measured the moisture levels and forage yields using moisture probes buried 12-24 inches beneath the ground.
Loschert stated that even if we reduce the amount of water we use on the farm by half we still see a small decrease in production.
Jay Loschert, Montezuma Land Conservancy, shows how water distribution works within the Dolores watershed during Wednesday’s San Juan Resilience Youth summit for environmental and social issues in Fort Lewis College’s Ballroom. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
The annual youth summit was hosted by Mountain Studies Institute and FLC in partnership. It saw about 130 students participate in 2019. It was postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19, and was reduced last year to a virtual meeting.
Students were delighted to be back in person Tuesday. They came from Southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico, to present their projects. These projects ranged from water conservation in irrigation to how natural catastrophes affect local economies.
Kuenzi stated that the students did not just show off their work, but also engaged in learning from their peers and asked questions.
She said that they want to give them a chance to experience what a professional conference will look for them later on in their careers. (The youth summit) Starts them young, building a network between future environmental leaders in this area.
Mountain Studies Institute collaborates with FLC all year through its Environmental Pathways program. This was formerly known under the Environmental Science and Climate Institute. Kuenzi explained that the Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, which connects education and vocational resources across schools districts, has joined the Environmental Pathways program.
She explained that the program was renamed to reflect the many lenses through which the environment can be viewed: arts and humanities, in addition to science.
She said that we want to welcome all students who are interested on these pathways.
The program begins in August and ends in September with a four-day intensive kickoff that helps students think about what they want to study in future months. Students have the opportunity to meet environmental professionals and attend field trips. Kuenzi explained that students will soon be able to visit the Andrews Lake area of Molas Pass in order to learn more about the effects of snow on watersheds and ecosystems within the San Juan Mountains.
She stated that students are encouraged and encouraged to lead the summit. Students are responsible for presenting their ideas and facilitating questions-and-answer sessions.
Students also offer input about topics that would interest them for future trips, and what they might be interested in for later summits.
Kuenzi explained that students were able choose seven interactive FLC campus experiences from the presentations. The subjects covered a fluids laboratory in the physics department, analytical chemistry, biology; Southwest Studies; as well as composting.