The Pennington School Restoration

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space was happy to aid the amazing, growing sustainability efforts at the Pennington School.  Stewardship Director, Dr. Mike Van Clef, helped identify invasive species in and around one of the school’s focal points, Lowellden Pond.  With this information Dr. Van Clef was able to give a detailed report of the invasive species that can be removed from the area and which native species could replace them, in order to craft a more environmentally sound space.

The Pennington School is excited about the opportunity to renew their pond and make it a healthy place where people want to spend time outdoors.  The pond is not only important to the school community but also to the residents of Pennington who appreciate the space on Sunday strolls and morning dog-walks.  Removing the invasive species and filling the area instead with native plants would help improve the water quality of the pond and make it an even more appealing space.

The next step in this multi-phase plan is the hydro-raking of the bottom of the pond to muck out the pond and increase the depth a bit, readying a clean slate for native species planting and healthy water.  Headmaster, Dr. William Hawkey, and environmental science teacher and resident sustainability advisor, Dr. Margo Andrews, say that this dredging phase will hopefully start sometime this year. At that point, it will be important to commit to restoring the native plants to ensure that the investment of clearing the bottom of the pond does not get squandered.  Students will be monitoring water quality through the process, and will hopefully be able to see the changes as the pond is restored to a native, natural state. Lowellden Pond actually serves as headwaters for the Delaware River, so the school has worked with The Watershed Institute in their StreamWatch program, already monitoring water quality in the area.  Additionally, the school will be seeking to create specific “access points” around the pond, such as a dock or paths, so that people can successfully enjoy the beauty of the outdoors without trampling the plants and destroying the buffer zone around the pond.

The Pennington School is considering the environment in many aspects of their operations.  In their new construction, great measures have been taken to ensure sustainability in design and construction.  In their landscaping, they are working on choosing a landscape architecture firm to work with to make the campus more cohesive and environmentally friendly.  Perhaps most importantly, they are exposing their students to the facts of environmental concerns and de-politicizing the topic so students can formulate their own opinions.  Dr. Hawkey believes that a concerted effort is needed to mobilize toward environmentalism and sustainability, and to push back against those who deny the issue. Their integrated environmental curriculum shows students that there is a bigger picture at hand, and that the health of the planet is not to be brushed aside.  Dr. Andrews stresses the importance of exposure to the outdoors and the observation, visual, and exploratory learning that students receive from spending time in their outdoor environment.