Hands-on science at SUNY Morrisville: Professor brings environmental science to life through field-based learning

Muddy boots, waders, gloves and notebooks in hand, students in SUNY Morrisville Professor Brendan Kelly's Riparian & Wetland Ecology & Management lab are taking their lessons out of the classroom and into streams, wetlands and other natural areas to positively impact local ecosystems.

Recently, students helped restore a riparian zone along Big Creek with Trout Unlimited, in Waterville, planting saplings and other vegetation to strengthen streambanks and enhance water quality.

They also participated in field investigations at a local bog and toured Labrador Hollow, near Tully, where they learned how to design boardwalks that provide recreational access to wetlands for people with mobility impairments while protecting the environment.

Next, students will learn how to identify wetland soils in the field by observing colors and textures. They'll also take part in an annual trip to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, where they gain hands-on experience in ecosystem management through activities such as mapping water depths, removing invasive species, banding waterfowl, resurfacing trails, planting seedlings, collecting seeds for restoration projects and helping manage water levels.

Through projects like these, students deepen their understanding of environmental systems while building practical skills that prepare them for successful careers.

For Skylar Brown, who hopes to become a DEC officer, those experiences are providing invaluable real-world training.

"Professor Kelly has a vast background and takes us places we wouldn't think of going," said Brown, an environmental and natural resources management B.Tech. student from Westmoreland.

"We are getting out in the community and actually doing and seeing what is going on in the real-world," Brown said. "I am getting experiences of different wetland plants, while also making a difference in the environment."

Jason Tedeschi, an environmental and natural resources management B.Tech. student from Syracuse, said classes like Environmental Law are also rounding out his education and preparing for him for a career as a DEC officer.

"I have been involved in a lot of cool experiences and I love going out in the field," Tedeschi said. "Last week, I was handling and measuring Brook Trout at our Aquaculture Center. There is so much hands-on learning.

"And is great to know that through our work, I am already making a difference in the environment," Tedeschi said.

For Kelly, field experiences are an essential part of his labs.

"In our classes, we get to make a difference on day one while learning," he said. "Students can apply scientific principles in real-world settings, gain critical skills and see how their work contributes to larger conservation efforts."

Through the collaborative work of Kelly, his students and their many community partners, restoration projects across Central New York have helped renew acres of forest, streambank and other natural areas, supporting wildlife, recreation and sustainable resource use.

Kelly is a 1993 graduate of the college's natural resources conservation program. Prior to returning to teach at Morrisville, he was senior forester with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

He is the recipient of the 2024 Forestry Communications & Education Award, presented by the New York Society of American Foresters, given in recognition of outstanding efforts to promote understanding and appreciation of forest resources, management and stewardship through communications and education.