McGann-Mercy unveils newly restored wetlands

Students at McGann-Mercy High School are “bringing healing to the earth.”

Today the high school held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its Environmental Science Wetland Remediation Program at the pond located on its Riverhead campus.

“It brings healing to the earth from which we ourselves are nurtured and nourished,” said Bishop Nelson Perez of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

The program traces its beginnings back to 2004, when a group of 9th and 10th graders and their teacher decided a valuable project would be to restore the wetland, located on school property back to a viable ecosystem, according to a McGann-Mercy press release. The project included learning about the Peconic estuary, the impact that environmental pollutants have on our local water system and invasive plants, as well as extensive surveying and data collection. By using this data, the school was able to work with the N.Y. Department of Environmental Conservation and the Town of Riverhead to secure permission to restore this ecosystem.

In 2011, McGann-Mercy was awarded a grant by the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, which covered approximately 75 percent of the cost of the project. The rest was donated by local businesses, alumnus and friends of the school. Working with an advisory board, which includes the Group for the East End, Molloy College and Fordham University, the school is developing an environmental studies curriculum.

The area was a functioning DEC regulated wetland 20 years ago. Over time, runoff from the road deposited silt and made it non-functioning, according to Drew Dillingham, assistant Riverhead town engineer. Faculty and students at McGann-Mercy researched taking the stormwater, filtering it, and dumping it back into the system, once it was clean.

“One of the best methods of doing that is constructive wetlands,” Dillingham said. There is a small stream on the north side that treats low flows, which are storms of about an inch or less. For larger storms, there is a weir structure (small dam) by the pump station that diverts the water up over the weir and down through the system when the rains are heavy and then continues at a slower discharge into the pond.

The recent heavy rains proved a good first trial for the project.

“It all looked good on paper but you never really know until it gets tested, and it got tested and it worked,” said Bob Terry, “It’s really everything we hoped it would be.”

Terry owns Terry Contracting and Materials, and is an alumni, parent, and board member of McGann-Mercy. His involvement began in the earliest stages of the project and he was integral to its completion, according to Dr. Steven Cheeseman, Associate Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Rockville Centre and former principal of McGann-Mercy High School.

“This truly is a dream realized,” said Cheeseman, “We’re giving them (students) a living laboratory. A place where, hands on, they can learn, about the principles of engineering and the theories of science, where they can see it in real life.”

As the principal of McGann-Mercy, Cheeseman was looking for the school’s niche. He felt that its location in Riverhead, gateway to the North Fork, environmental science was a good choice. With the collaboration of several organizations including the DEC, the Town of Riverhead and the Group for the East End, they pulled the loose ends together.

Along with the environmental studies curriculum for students of McGann-Mercy, the school plans to use the wetlands for field trips for students from all over the east end. The trips will include workshops, a lab and a wetland project, said Cheeseman. He added that the school will likely hire someone full time for the position.

Phase two of the project is planned for completion this fall. The second phase calls for seining an additional pond at the northeastern end of the campus. The wildlife from that water will be removed and transfered over to the main pond. The southeastern corner will then be turned into a softball field.

The ceremony was attended by Supervisor Sean Walter, Councilman John Dunleavy, Councilwoman Jodi Giglio and Councilman Jim Wooten, as well as Highway Superintendent Gio Woodson.

Terry said Woodson’s assistance with the project was invaluable. The wetland will pull runoff from Middle Road and filter the water before returning it to the Peconic Estuary, helping to alleviate roadway flooding in that area.

“I think it’s great, something positive,” Woodson said. Realizing what a great educational opportunity it is for the kids, he said, “it’s a win-win as far as I’m concerned.”
Supervisor Walter thanked the students and faculty for all their hard work.

“You took something that was nice, but didn’t work, and you fixed it.” said Walter, “the teachers and students that made this happen, you did God’s work here.”

Principal Carl Semmler said the project is building bridges. The program is an “educational win for any student on the east end and anyone who wants to help make the world a better place through our remediated wetlands.”

Sister Joanne Callahan, Superintendent of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre, brought all the kids who worked on the project up to be recognized. She told the students that they were fulfilling the McGann-Mercy motto to, “serve the Lord with gladness.”

“These kids are the future of what’s happening out here on the east end,” Sister Callahan said, “I can’t believe how beautiful it is and I want to thank each of you for what you did to make this look like it is today.”

In his closing prayer, Bishop Perez said, “this place of beauty will serve our town, our community and our world by creating beauty, cleaning our water and air and by helping young and old to learn about the gift of your wondrous creation.”

Editor’s note: A previously published version of this story incorrectly stated the location of the pond on the high school campus.

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Laurie Nigro
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