CNC Members “Dig Deep” to Discover What’s Below the Surface

Amy Meeker-Taylor, Member and Donor Engagement Manager

On Sunday, March 9, CNC Members rolled up their sleeves and pulled on their boots to discover what’s thriving at the bottom of Kingfisher Pond. After a brief introduction, members utilized some of the same tools used by field biologists to scoop the detritus (decomposing plant matter) from the bottom of the pond and look for aquatic macroinvertebrates.

Macroinvertebrates include aquatic insects in their larval stage, snails, worms, crayfish, and clams; their presence or absence can help us determine the quality of the water. Our goal was to find various macroinvertebrates, including some that cannot survive in polluted water.  Our finds included both dragonfly and damselfly larvae, aquatic sowbugs, aquatic worms, and snails.

After the experience, each member family took home a mini pond study kit to encourage them to continue exploring water quality in their community.

CNC is committed to providing curated members-only experiences that help us advance our mission to connect people with nature. Become a member today!

Discover similar activities available during our spring exhibit, Eco Tinker, where you can learn all about the river, what habitats it creates, the resources it provides, and the many stakeholders involved through six interactive stations.