Board of Visitors and Governors member Peter Van Dyke and his wife, Judy, made a generous gift recently to construct a new bird-banding laboratory on Chino Farms.This new facility will greatly enhance the work of the Washington College Center for Environment & Society (CES) and the Chester River Field Research Station at Foreman’s Branch while expanding opportunities for student and faculty research and study.
The Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory has been a focal point for understanding bird migration patterns and growing numbers of visitors have found the work fascinating. In 2013, the station banded more than 12,000 birds, representing 128 species. Research at the station includes studies of birds and ticks as vectors of Lyme Disease, the impacts of pesticides on birds, breeding behavior and genetics, and the impact of habitat restoration and grassland re-establishment on birds. Public access to the station has been limited by its small, 16-foot square size.
The new space, four times the current size, will include an observation area from which visitors may observe birds being banded, weighed, and released, as well as a classroom for a wide variety of STEM (science, technology, education and math) programming. This will include both bird programs and activities related to agriculture, habitat restoration, and the Chester River Watershed Observatory. Programs will be tied to the curriculum in Queen Anne’s and Kent County Schools, offering students unique opportunities to explore the links between species diversity and habitat and land use. Washington College students serve as interns and researchers at the banding station, while also teaming with CES staff to provide programs.
Construction options are currently being explored, and one possibility is “straw bale” construction, a technique that is both highly energy efficient and very durable. More common in the Midwest, straw bale buildings are unusual enough in this region to provide an incredible educational opportunity in the construction phase and to visitors post-construction. When tied into the Chino solar array, this new structure will be a “net zero” building.
“We are delighted with this gift and the way it will expand the work we are able to do on Chino Farms,” Chairman Emeritus and Interim President Jack S. Griswold said. “Peter and Judy have been loyal and visionary supporters of the College, and we are very grateful.”
To find out more about the Washington College Field Station, go here.
Carla Massoni says
Thank you to Peter & Judy!! Congratulations to President Griswold on a win for the entire community! Thank you to Dr. Sears and CES for your vision and commitment.