Environmental Restoration Target Estimation Around Engquist Nature Preserve
Level of Education of Students Involved
Undergraduate
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Jon-Paul McCool
College
Arts and Sciences
Discipline(s)
Soil Science, Physical Geography, Environmental Science
ORCID Identifier(s)
Jack Colwell: 0000-0003-3605-4310, Doc Janowiak: 0009-0000-0474-841X, Korbin Opfer: 0009-0003-5492-2377, Justin Self: 0009-0006-0636-2581, Jon-Paul McCool: 0000-0003-2384-4620
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Symposium Date
Spring 4-25-2024
Abstract
This project analyzed soil parameters from multiple locations owned by the Shirley Heinze Land Trust in Porter County, Indiana, some of which are being ecologically restored or have been restored in the past. The samples were collected from prairie, forested wetland, riverine wetland/floodplain ecological areas, and current agricultural areas to be restored to each of those same environmental types. To measure the effectiveness of the rehabilitation mentioned above, this project compared bulk density, soil chemistry, organic matter, aggregate stability, and particle size analysis from the agricultural area to those from restored and natural settings. This allowed the estimation of targets and a baseline to assess the effectiveness of future rehabilitation projects. The results helped us to learn more about restoration projects on plots of land that have been used for agriculture for an extended period of time and can help other environmental projects find effective ways of rehabilitating formerly cultivated land.
Recommended Citation
Colwell, Jack E.; Janowiak, Doc; Opfer, Korbin L.; Self, Justin; and McCool, Jon-Paul, "Environmental Restoration Target Estimation Around Engquist Nature Preserve" (2024). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 1287.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/1287
Biographical Information about Author(s)
Jack E. Colwell: Jack E. Colwell is a junior geography and environmental science double major from Chillicothe, Illinois.
Doc Janowiak: Doc is a senior psychology major with a minor in biology, originally from Moscow, Idaho.
Korbin L. Opfer: Korbin L. Opfer is a sophomore geography and english double major from Seward, Nebraska.
Justin Self: Justin Self is a senior environmental science and data science double major from North Manchester, Indiana.
Dr. Jon-Paul McCool: Dr. Jon-Paul McCool is an Associate Professor of Geography.