Two research projects took flight with money raised during the inaugural Earth Day Birding Classic at Penn State Altoona in 2016. A total of $1,245.50 was divided between the Juniata Valley Audubon Society (JVAS) and Penn State Altoona’s Sustainability Council. In the past year that money has benefited both a wetlands project and a bluebird study.
Reclaiming Wetlands
Environmental studies student (now graduate) Angela Spagnoli, ’17, is utilizing funds from the JVAS as she works to reclaim a wetlands site in Blair County. She describes both her project and her motivation:
“I wanted to find a neglected wetland area and create a healthier, more functional habitat, not only for the inhabiting species, but also for community outreach. I was told about an area behind the Northern Blair County Recreation Center in Tipton, which was previously used for wetland demonstration. Dr. Jim Julian accompanied me to first assess the area and I realized this place is filled with biodiversity, including the highly threatened Jefferson salamander. It’s a six-hectare [nearly 15 acres] wetland, consisting of vernal pools (seasonally flooded) and year-round inundated pools—making it a vital ecosystem for many amphibian and reptile species, plants, and birds. The Board of Directors at the Rec Center was very excited and supportive when hearing my ideas.
“I’m going to remove the invasive species, mainly focusing on multi-flora rose, invasive honeysuckle, privet, and Japanese knotweed. I’ve received donations from Seed-balls, a local company, who gave me several obligate and facultative wetland plant species. Once the invasives are removed, I will replace them with native grasses, sedges, rushes, and trees to inhibit regrowth.
“A section from the pool itself to the forest has been clear-cut. Salamanders travel through that area for breeding; therefore, I want to reforest it and create a migratory corridor. I also plan to build noninvasive observation decks and boardwalks for community and elementary education. During the Birding Classic, we were birding the area and were the only team to identify a rusty blackbird. With a little love and hard work, we can create a beautiful and beneficial habitat for many species.
“I’m involved in conservation work mainly because of my eight-year-old son. If we don’t teach the next generation to appreciate these ecosystems, we’re going to lose those systems. My son spends a lot of time with me in the field. Partnering with the Rec Center, we will be planning wetland educational summer camps. Penn State Altoona has also been very eager to get involved. This project is on the syllabi for three ecology classes during the fall semester. I’m receiving two interns from Penn State to assist with my efforts. I also have the support of the Little Juniata River Association, who funded the first Spring Run cleanup on campus, the Blair County Conservation District, and the National Resource Conservation Service.
“Dr. Mark Bonta presented me with this opportunity. He structures the environmental ethics course so that each student conducts a real-life case study. I told him I wanted to do something meaningful, but I wasn’t sure he knew to what extent. With Dr. Bonta’s and Dr. Julian’s help, we created a project that’s become something more than I ever dreamed of.
“My love of conservation isn’t restricted to our local area. This summer will be my fifth trip to Costa Rica to conduct sea turtle conservation efforts, reforestation of tropical rain forests, and research at La Selva (a biological research reserve dedicated to the conservation of rain forest biodiversity).”
Left to right: Marcia Bonta (Juniata Valley Audubon Society [JVAS]), Mike Jackson (JVAS), Holly May (National Resource Conservation Service), Laura Jackson (president of JVAS), Mark Nale (JVAS), Angela Spagnoli, and Jim Eckenrode (Blair County Conservation District).
Bluebird Study
The Sustainability Council used their portion of the 2016 Birding Classic funds for a bluebird study done by Laura Palmer, associate professor of biology at Penn State Altoona. Dr. Palmer describes the study:
“We have initiated a small pilot study to monitor nest box temperatures during the Eastern bluebird breeding season at Canoe Creek State Park in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Previous studies in other parts of the country have suggested a correlation between environmental cold/heat cycles and nestling mortality rates for Eastern bluebirds. As a way to facilitate maintaining optimal nest box temperature during the breeding season, the authors suggest using unvented boxes in colder climates and vented nest boxes in warmer climates (where temperatures can reach 100°F or more).
“At Canoe Creek State Park, volunteers monitor approximately 100 bluebird nest boxes, mostly unvented, during the breeding season. Unvented nest boxes provide important protection from cold temperatures and other weather conditions in early spring. However, it is not uncommon for temperatures in this part of Pennsylvania to climb into the 90–100°F range for extended periods in mid-late summer; thus nestlings hatched during the second nesting cycle may be negatively impacted by elevated temperatures within the nest box.
“We are currently monitoring 10 nest boxes in our pilot study and will compare nest box success (number of bluebirds successfully fledged from each box) to nest box temperature. Funding from the Juniata Valley Audubon Society and the Penn State Altoona Sustainability Council was used to purchase the temperature monitors for the study.
“This study will provide information regarding the appropriateness of the unvented nest box design in this climate. With the threats of global climate change upon us, we feel this study can inform us as to best practices for maintaining successful bluebird nest boxes in this region. If results show that a negative correlation between nest box temperature and nest success (number of eggs hatched; number of fledglings) exists, this could lead to the design and implementation of more suitable nest boxes for the birds in this climate.”
–Therese Boyd, ’79