The Bluethenthal Memorial Wildflower Preserve at UNC Wilmington represents a microcosm of the greater Mid-Atlantic Coastal Forest Eco-region. The 10-acre Preserve was permanently established in 1973 after concerns of losing the most diverse collection of native plants left on campus were brought to Administration by faculty. The popular nature trail was a living laboratory to teach basic ecological principles, native species, and population dynamics in a diverse woodland that included a pocosin and historic tar kiln. An extensive network of perimeter roads and parking lots almost completely surround the Preserve today. Impervious surfaces collect a variety of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) from vehicle leaks and spills and funnel them into surrounding drainage areas after every rain. While much of Bluethenthal is protected from runoff by properly installed best management practices (BMP), the southeastern corner is being degraded due to mismanagement. An undergraduate Directed Independent Study (DIS), designed to determine impacts of stormwater runoff on the Preserve, revealed that a current BMP drains a parking lot directly into the Preserve, leading to high levels of PHCs. Soil PHC levels averaged 166.6% higher around the Preserve than federally recommended levels; a drainage field directly impacting Bluethenthal averaged 237.36% higher (337.36ppm).
Results/Conclusions
With this contamination brought to faculty attention, how can the knowledge and issue be used as a teaching tool while at the same time addressing the needed clean-up? With approval from the department Chair and College Dean, and a small student-fee funded grant (TGIF), the DIS flourished into a multi-disciplinary and multi-year set of courses and student research programs. The undergrad-professor team designed a 4 phase experiment to document, report and treat contamination in the Preserve. With the DIS data (Phase 1), Applied Learning monies were granted to fund Phase 2 research for a new Restoration Ecology short-course. In this course, undergrads and grads are delineating and quantifying PHCs present in the hotspot and next semester a 3-hour course in Restoration & Mitigation Design is being offered to enter into Phase 3 work. Another proposal has been submitted to fund a Master’s Student research on phytoremediation of the site (Phase 3b) as well. Applied Learning opportunities like this not only gave students practical, hands-on, skill-building experience, but led students through a thorough investigation and analysis of the efficacy of BMP designs, culminating in their recommendations for Phase 3a – BMP design work and fund seeking.