Terrain V01 - Journal - Page 29
Sterling College | 27
Why the
Hudson River:
Studying the Hudson River watershed gives
Sterling students the opportunity to explore
a watershed from a wilderness area, through
a rural landscape, to an urban area. This
movement through a diverse landscape allows students to better understand the interconnection of ecological and social systems. Students take the skills and knowledge
they gain from a variety of Sterling courses,
and apply them to a very different landscape.
Photo: Anushka Saraswat
My Story
Photo: Anushka Saraswat
I grew up in the Hudson River watershed; it
was my home for many years. I lived across
the river from Manhattan Island where the
river heads towards the sea, and worked in
the headwaters in the Adirondacks. I continue to feel that connection to the place I called
home for many years. Possibly, the Hudson
River watershed helped to form who I am
today. I witnessed the water quality impacts
from our land uses in the lower end of the
Hudson, while I explored the pristine waters
within the High Peaks of the Adirondacks.
Creating a field study course in the Hudson
River watershed was my way of sharing the
place I called home.
Due to the nature of Sterling College’s campus in Vermont, it may be hard to comprehend the ecological and social value of urban
landscapes. Coming into New York City from
the Hudson River headwaters is an eyeopener for most students; they go from one
dramatic landscape - towering mountains
- to another dramatic landscape - towering
skyscrapers. While the experience may be
daunting for some, it is also a way to make
connections and appreciate how nature
takes place in many different ways.
The
Takeaway:
One hope I have is that students
can envision what they learn about
sustainable living at Sterling and
apply it to different landscapes.
Example: we recognize that one
way to lessen our carbon footprint
is to eat locally. This can be done
in a rural landscape like Craftsbury,
and it can be done in an urban
landscape like Brooklyn. The principles of environmental stewardship
and ecological thinking take many
forms in different places. One way
to view these forms is by following
a drop of water traveling through
a watershed, from the headwaters
to the depositional zone where the
water meets the sea.