Mound Laser Bioswale

Mound Laser Bioswale Field Trip

Purpose of the Trip

The Dayton Regional STEM School 10th grade walked to the Mound Laser Bioswale to plant some vegetation. Our "mentor" for the day explained, as I understand, that the plants around a sort of rocky trench would allow the rainfall to fall over the soil and to collect in  trench to be used by the rest of the surrounding environment. It is a revolutionary way to recycle water, to replenish the life, and decreased pollution  in and around an ecosystem.

Credited to: HGOR

In this diagram we learn that the water that goes into the bioswale is filtered by the plants that live there. 

Credited to: the Natural Resources Conservation Service of Iowa

 This diagram explains how the planting of vegetation improves the soil quality which benefits all of the ecosystem.

Credited to: The American Institute of Architects

Lastly in this diagram we can see how the runoff can be redirected to serve a community. 

For these reasons we went and helped. Now what exactly did I do?

What I did

Our grade was broken up into "shifts", one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I was apart of the first "shift" and so we set out. We walked to Mount Laser from the school, through the mud! Then when we got there we were given a presentation to help us understand what and why we were there. Then we got to work. In partner groups (me and Matt Miller), we got a bucket and shovel. The bucket person went and got some dirt while the other person got some plants. We then proceeded down the sides of the bioswale to the rock bed and across to a place we were told to put a plant at every blue dot. The ground around the planting places was the worst, completely muddy. I thought I would sink. But we took the shovel, dug a hole about  foot in diameter and half a foot deep. Then we took the plant out of its container and placed it in the hole. Lastly we broke up the clay-like soil and lightly packed it around each plant. We did this about five times for each of the five plants we had been assigned. We planted half of all the plants and mulched well over everything. Then we returned back to school. Job well done.

Guiding Principles

• Conservation- This principle applies in that if this was a NAF trail project because it is definitely helping to continue and rejuvenate the ecosystem. This bioswale will benefit the animals as well as the plant life in that it gives them almost pollution free water to live and grow in. 
• Sustainability- Another fun experience that I had was at one point we dug up the remains of what seemed to be a ceramic piece of pottery. We were unsure of what to do with it so we asked the "mentor" and he told us we could just reuse it in the rock bed, when he proceeded to grab it and toss it in. This is an example of sustainability because it is the reusing of materials found there. Also, Mound Laser wasn't trying to bring in such unusual or foreign things into the bioswale, they wanted to leave it as natural and in its original a state as possible, so we planted plants and they made a rock bed, which is quite frankly better than some concrete like we have. 
• Environmental Impact- All of the work we did amounted up to bettering this environment and making it self-sufficient. The work we did will influence that ecosystem, probably for decades if not hundreds of years. 

Reflection

This was a memorable experience because it was fun and we got permission to take our soaked and muddy shoes off. I loved it because we were making a difference and planting pure, unadulterated life. This was like a pre-nature and fitness trail project. It also helps me to understand what it really means to "Love. Not Loss."

Not to mention, I also helped, almost everyone clean off their shoes. 

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