Knoxville Middle School science students took in some knowledge of nature first-hand this week during their field trip to Marion County Park. The students studied insects and other creatures around the lake and took some samples of the lake water to study and compare. Marion County Naturalist Marla Mertz says that this is a great program that allows the kids to see the results of sedimentation. The lake at Marion County Park used to be up to 24 feet deep, but sediment that’s gathered in the lake over the past 50 years means it’s no deeper than eight feet now. That means less diversity and fewer numbers of insects around the lake, which in turn leads to less food for the fish.

Science teacher Sara Finnegan says that the kids absolutely love this field trip. She hopes it will connect the students to their role in the environment and being respectful of it.