City students see nature in new way at Great Mountain

FALLS VILLAGE — A group of 13 high school students from New York City spent two weeks at the Yale Forestry Camp at the Great Mountain Forest, which is in Norfolk and Falls Village. They presented the results of their scientific experiments on Saturday, July 21.

Adam Walker, the program director for the Summer Ecology Program run by Christodora, said the students spent the first week exploring the Great Mountain Forest with forest manager Jody Bronson and other staff, and a week performing experiments designed by the students.

The students examined the effect of charcoal hearths on soil quality; the effect of altitude on insect damage to trees; the effect of water source movement on water quality and tree diversity; and the relationship between jewel weed and poison ivy.

The last experiment was suggested by a remark from Bronson during a hike, that often poison ivy and jewel weed are found in close proximity.

One of the students, Sam Raimi, age 17, noted that jewel weed is a natural remedy for poison ivy. He helpfully took a reporter outside to a clump of jewel weed around a tree close to the forestry camp lab building.

The students discussed their methodology and results. They were candid about the limitations of their research, and about how the experiments could be improved.

Raimi said he recently moved from a small town in Michigan to a relative’s home in New York in order to attend the Institute of Collaborative Education (a public high school).

So while he is no stranger to small-town life, he said the Christodora experience “changed my life.”

“I’ve been away from home before but not like this. Now I see nature totally differently.”