Smooth Chordgrass

A decade and a half after Franklin Fifth graders first started planting a living shoreline at ANERR. It is exciting to see that the plant formerly known as Spartina alterniflora (smooth chordgrass) is flourishing. The most recent classes to visit and plant Spartina alterniflora dug into the sand and dug into the data with equal enthusiasm. They could discern patterns by reading the data that years of students before them had created using percent cover estimations. These students were able to see where Hurricane Michael, for example, caused a dip in the data. One of the students asked how the plant was able to recover. The answer was revealed in the outdoor classroom where they learned more about how Spartina alterniflora and its adaptations that help it thrive. ANERR staff were joined this year by several incredible volunteers who quickly came to appreciate first-hand how our shoreline is protected through the work of some of our youngest citizens. We saw a total of 88 students and teachers over the course of 5 different days this month.  Their plantings help soften the effects of wave action and reduce erosion on the shoreline at our site.  When asked what they did during their visit, the two popular quotes from the students were “Save the Shoreline” and “Save the World.”