Waverly students work with Marty Borko, right, of Carantouan Greenway, on vernal pool monitoring last year. Photo courtesy of Miranda Palmer

WAVERLY — Waverly students are collaborating with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation to help reintroduce a key species into local rivers.

American eels can be vital to river ecosystems, but few are now found in this part of the Chemung and Susquehanna rivers.

One potential solution? Have students raise eels in the classroom for release into the rivers — while learning about their role in the ecosystem.

The program, which has existed in Pennsylvania for years, is now being piloted in four New York school districts, including Waverly.

“The Pennsylvania programs have been having really good luck with eels in the classroom,” said Miranda Palmer, a teacher in Waverly’s agriculture department who has helped spearhead the program.

After working with DEC, the Upper Susquehanna Coalition and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, Waverly has ten eels in the school.

“The goal is they’re going to be stocked into either the Chemung or the Susquehanna River in the spring to try to promote that native population to come back,” Palmer said.

See the rest of this article here.

This is a pretty cool story.

It’s amazing the animals that are making a comeback around here. Eagles, fishers, bobcats, and I know of at least one confirmed otter sighting ( Though I won’t say where, I saw the evidence and was pretty excited. )

chemung county schools should get on board with this type of program, not only gets kids outside and aware of nature, but builds initiative to develop/use the river for more than a scapegoat