With continued support from the General Motors Foundation for 2027, West Creek Conservancy’s Stream Monitoring program will reach another 400 students from middle and high schools across the region.
The program brings together experts in the field of stream ecology from West Creek Conservancy, Cleveland Metroparks, Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and GM Metal Fabrication Division in Parma to give the students hands-on experience observing and recording the health of Big Creek.
The program takes place throughout the Memphis Picnic area of Big Creek Reservation, where students gain hands-on experience assessing the creek’s water chemistry, aquatic organisms, stream habitats, morphology, human influence on the environment, and stormwater management.
The program has been managed by Bob Gardin, director of Big Creek Connects, for several years; and now, under West Creek Conservancy, the program will continue his legacy of environmental education by teaching today’s students how local waterways function so they become active stewards of their watersheds and smarter, more informed citizens of tomorrow.