By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – Elementary school pupils in the Millstone Township K-8 School District are seeking to address the problem of an invasive plant species in their community.
The Community Problem Solvers Club, which is comprised of 19 pupils in grades three through five at the Millstone Township Elementary School, intend to combat the growth of Phragmites australis, a plant species the club said is spreading in Millstone.
Teachers Beth Topinka and Jennifer Modula serve as the the advisers of the club.
“These young students are passionate about preserving Millstone’s environment,” Topinka said.
According to Topinka, community problem solving is part of the Future Problem Solving program international organization. The objective of the Community Problem Solvers division is to determine an area of concern that affects a specific community, research the problem and develop a plan of action to address the problem and help the town. The area of concern determined by the Millstone pupils was the presence of Phragmites australis in their community.
Phragmites australis, according to Topinka, can reach reach 18 feet in height and grows in thick patches with dense root systems that spread and push out native plants and animals. The plant is difficult to remove once it has become established in an area. It harms diversity in ecosystems, does not provide a food source for native animals, interferes with marsh food webs, affects the supply of water needed by plants and animals, and produces seed tops that can bother individuals with grass allergies.
To find a solution and to deal with the plant species, the club members have created a survey for residents in order to determine where the plant is growing. After gathering information from the surveys, the students intend to develop a research-based plan to address the presence of the plant.
The survey can be found at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8h1l3A-NgwiVLvVcnS_7iXWkPlUo7JF0P9P1tkm4Z22yy2Q/viewform?c=0&w=1