NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT

News Stories

West Hill holds fun STEM activities for young visitors

USACE, New England District
Published Sept. 30, 2016
Park Ranger Viola Bramel holds up a tree branch and identifies it to her audience during the  Beginning Bridges Five Senses and Solar Power Day at West Hill Dam in Massachusetts on July 20, 2016.

Park Ranger Viola Bramel holds up a tree branch and identifies it to her audience during the Beginning Bridges Five Senses and Solar Power Day at West Hill Dam in Massachusetts on July 20, 2016.

Park Ranger Sally Carullo operates an auger to dig through soil layers during the  Beginning Bridges Five Senses and Solar Power Day held on July 20, 2016 at West Hill Dam in Massachusetts.

Park Ranger Sally Carullo operates an auger to dig through soil layers during the Beginning Bridges Five Senses and Solar Power Day held on July 20, 2016 at West Hill Dam in Massachusetts.

Park Ranger Viola Bramel and Level 1 Junior Rangers during the Nocturnal Animal Tracking presentation held at West Hill Dam in Massachusetts on July 22, 2016

Park Ranger Viola Bramel and Level 1 Junior Rangers during the Nocturnal Animal Tracking presentation held at West Hill Dam in Massachusetts on July 22, 2016

West Hill Dam hosted back-to back-events July 20 that focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). 

The first event, Beginning Bridges Five Senses and Solar Power Day took place on July 20.  The second event, for Junior Rangers only, featured Professor Brandi VanRoos from Framingham State University.

About 56 children and their families participated in the Beginning Bridges Event.  Activities included building dams, learning the soil layers with Summer Park Ranger Sally Carullo who operated the auger to get down to the different layers, as well as building a solar shower and building and cooking in a solar oven. 

“The kids made coffee for their parents, solar tea for the Park Rangers, waffles, toast and popcorn,” said Viola Bramel, Park Ranger at West Hill Dam and the event coordinator.  

The final activity for the Beginning Bridges event was identifying and aging trees.  The participants sampled flavors from trees such as sassafras, birch soda and more. 

Although this is the first time Bramel and Beginning Bridges coordinator Emily Murray brought the Five Senses and Solar Cooking event to West Hill, it is not the first time that the two agencies have worked together.  Last year Bramel and Murray held a sand castle event at the project. 

Later that evening Professor VanRoos showed Level 1 Junior Rangers how to track animals using technology during her Techniques for Observing Nocturnal Animals presentation.

The session was one of five required sessions the Junior Rangers needed to earn their badges.

During the activity, the children pretended to be animals such as deer, mice and bears for about 40 minutes as Professor VanRoos tracked the “animals” using a camera and a mounted trip plate.  She took the SIM card and downloaded the video and loaded it onto her laptop to show the children how she tracked them.

These two events were just a sampling of the interpretive programs that West Hill Dam hosts year round.  For more information on upcoming programs, please go to:  http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Portals/74/docs/Recreation/WHD/West_Hill_Events_2016.pdf

West Hill Dam hosted back-to back-events July 20 that focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). 

The first event, Beginning Bridges Five Senses and Solar Power Day took place on July 20.  The second event, for Junior Rangers only, featured Professor Brandi VanRoos from Framingham State University.

About 56 children and their families participated in the Beginning Bridges Event.  Activities included building dams, learning the soil layers with Summer Park Ranger Sally Carullo who operated the auger to get down to the different layers, as well as building a solar shower and building and cooking in a solar oven. 

“The kids made coffee for their parents, solar tea for the Park Rangers, waffles, toast and popcorn,” said Viola Bramel, Park Ranger at West Hill Dam and the event coordinator.  

The final activity for the Beginning Bridges event was identifying and aging trees.  The participants sampled flavors from trees such as sassafras, birch soda and more. 

Although this is the first time Bramel and Beginning Bridges coordinator Emily Murray brought the Five Senses and Solar Cooking event to West Hill, it is not the first time that the two agencies have worked together.  Last year Bramel and Murray held a sand castle event at the project. 

Later that evening Professor VanRoos showed Level 1 Junior Rangers how to track animals using technology during her Techniques for Observing Nocturnal Animals presentation.

The session was one of five required sessions the Junior Rangers needed to earn their badges.

During the activity, the children pretended to be animals such as deer, mice and bears for about 40 minutes as Professor VanRoos tracked the “animals” using a camera and a mounted trip plate.  She took the SIM card and downloaded the video and loaded it onto her laptop to show the children how she tracked them.

These two events were just a sampling of the interpretive programs that West Hill Dam hosts year round.  For more information on upcoming programs, please go to:  http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Portals/74/docs/Recreation/WHD/West_Hill_Events_2016.pdf


The Pawcatuck River Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study

   This proposed plan is presented  to facilitate public involvement in the review and commenting on the remedy selection process for the Nantucket Memorial Airport (NMA) Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS.) 
    The Army Corps of Engineers is proposing a No Action under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act for the Munitions Response Site-1, Project Number D01MA049901 at NMA located on Nantucket Island, MA.  The proposal was prepared using the Guide to Preparing Superfund Proposed Plans, Records of Decision, and Other Remedy Selection Decision Documents (USEPA, 1999).
    The final decision for NMA Site-1 site will be made after reviewing and considering all information submitted during the public comment period. The proposed decision may be modified based on new information or public comments. The public is encouraged to review and comment on the proposed plan.
    The FUDS program addresses the potential explosives safety, health, and environmental issues resulting from past munitions use at former defense sites under the Department of Defense (DoD) Military Munitions Response Program, established by the U.S. Congress under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program.  
    FUDS only applies to properties that transferred from DoD before October 17, 1986 and the first priority of USACE is the protection of human health, safety, and the environment. 
    The Army is the executive agent for the FUDS Program, and USACE is the lead agency for investigation/reporting and remedial decision-making at this munitions site with regulatory support provided by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).


Updated: 05 December 2016