Harwich High SchoolHarwich High School  Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies

an interdisciplinary course that addresses real world an interdisciplinary course that addresses real world environmental issues, problems and solutions.environmental issues, problems and solutions.

This class This class emphasizes emphasizes systems thinking systems thinking and integrates and integrates social, economic social, economic and scientific and scientific principles principles to identify root to identify root causes of causes of problems.problems.

Human WellbeingHuman Wellbeing

Everything is ConnectedEverything is Connected

      

   The Environmental Club offersThe Environmental Club offers students an opportunity to learn students an opportunity to learn about environmental problems about environmental problems

and what they can do to help solve them.and what they can do to help solve them.

It offers students, who are not currently enrolled in It offers students, who are not currently enrolled in Environmental Studies, an opportunity to Environmental Studies, an opportunity to participate in environmental projectsparticipate in environmental projects

The Herring River Restoration The Herring River Restoration ProjectProject

Wellfleet Harbor Cape Cod Bay Wellfleet Harbor Cape Cod Bay and the Herring River Estuaryand the Herring River Estuary

Wellfleet Harbor

Gull Pond

Mill Creek

Pole Dike Creek

Duck Harbor

Bound BrookHerring Pond

Wellfleet Center

Truro

Wellfleet

1908 Salt Marsh

DIKE1909

2007 Salt Marsh

Basins and tributaries of the Herring

River Estuary System

Ecological and social benefits of Herring River tidal restoration

Restored tidal range & salinity

Increased sediment deposition & storm surge protection

Removal of exotic plants

Increased wetland water levels

Restored peat chemistry, elimination of acidity, metals

Restored salt marsh plant community

Restored habitats & wetland access for finfish, shellfish, crustaceans, marsh birds &

mammals

Restored public access, harvestable resources and

recreational and educational opportunities: boating,

fishing, birding, etc.

Reduced mosquito production

Increased tidal flushing

Increased water-column aeration

Decreased coliform bacteria

Restored pollution control

Thickened freshwater lens

Accept the Accept the responsibility to responsibility to understand understand and influence and influence decisions and decisions and actions of actions of environmental environmental consequences as a consequences as a civic duty.civic duty.

Goals:Goals:  -Increase knowledge and -Increase knowledge and understanding of local and global understanding of local and global environmental issues well environmental issues well enough to make intelligent, enough to make intelligent, personal decisions.personal decisions.

And provide a guide for And provide a guide for those who wish those who wish to study environmental to study environmental issues in greater issues in greater depth in the future.depth in the future.

We can only value what We can only value what we know through we know through establishing a personal establishing a personal connectionconnection

   -- --

The Environmental Club does The Environmental Club does research and goes on field trips to research and goes on field trips to take part in Community Service take part in Community Service Opportunities that also gives them a Opportunities that also gives them a hands-on learning experience.hands-on learning experience.