Community Conservation Funds at Work
As an effort to improve water quality and diversify fish and wildlife habitats in both Valley Water Mill Lake and Fellows Lake, Watershed partnered with Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to create and maintain floating wetlands.Â
Floating wetlands shift the aquatic plant community to more favorable conditions like less algae in the lakes. The aquatic native plants occupying the floating wetlands provide habitat for pollinators, aquatic organisms, and remove excess nutrients from the water. OTC used the floating wetlands for hands-on student projects in their newly launched field biology course. In return, the students assisted with wetland maintenance and wetland builds.
The individual class projects and volunteer time enhanced student learning experiences with practical applications and provided opportunities for informal mentorship by working with Watershed and MDC staff. Grant funding from MDC with matching funds provided by the partnering organizations made this successful program possible. Â
