150 Years Later: 17c起草社区 Students Continue a Scientific Legacy Rooted in Grand Rapids
In a quiet wetland at a Kent County park this summer, a group of 17c起草社区 students stood with sopping wet boots, swatting mosquitoes and carefully documenting a plant few people had ever noticed.
What they discovered was extraordinary.
The species, an extremely rare aquatic grass, was previously known from just one location in the entire state of Michigan. Now, thanks to 17c起草社区's field research team, scientists know there is at least a second thriving population.
It's one of several remarkable discoveries being made this summer through the Emma Cole Project, a research initiative that is simultaneously preserving the region's ecological future, providing transformative experiences for students, and continuing a scientific story that began 150 years ago.
"This project is a beautiful example of how science builds over time, not only through discoveries, but through generations of people committed to understanding and caring for creation," said Dr. David Warners, professor of biology and director of Plaster Creek Stewards, who leads the project.
Building on a 150-year legacy
The story begins with Emma Cole, a Grand Rapids scientist, educator, and botanist who, in the late 1800s, meticulously documented plant life throughout West Michigan.
Today, 17c起草社区 students are following in her footsteps.
For the past several summers, teams of students and faculty have conducted modern botanical inventories throughout Grand Rapids city parks, comparing today's ecosystems with Cole's original observations from 150 years ago.
What started as an academic exercise has evolved into something much larger.
With funding from a U.S. Forest Service grant awarded to Friends of Grand Rapids Parks (FOGRPs), 17c起草社区 researchers have spent the past two years helping city leaders understand which parks should be prioritized for preservation, ecological restoration, recreation development, or invasive species management.
Their work provides local decision-makers with the scientific data needed to protect and steward public green spaces for generations to come.
"This is research that directly benefits our community," said Warners. "We're helping city and county leaders make informed decisions about the future of these landscapes."
Discovering hidden ecological treasures
The discoveries have been significant.
Just a couple of weeks ago, at Wabasis Lake County Park, 17c起草社区 researchers documented three rare native species that had not been seen in Kent County since Emma Cole first described them in the late 1800s:
- Swamp gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum)
- Red swamp currant (Ribes triste)
- Miterwort (Mitella nuda)
The original habitats where Cole documented these plants have long since disappeared due to urban development.
Yet, hidden within today's parks, these species have survived.
At another site, Spencer Forest County Park, students discovered the rare aquatic grass that is now only the second known population in Michigan. Researchers will collect seeds and work to propagate the species to strengthen its future survival.
At the same time, the team is identifying invasive species never before documented in Kent County, giving land managers an opportunity to act before those plants spread and cause broader ecological damage.
Every field season seems to uncover another hidden story.
"We continue to find ecological gems that nobody knew existed," Warners said.
Students doing research that matters
While the discoveries are exciting, the project's greatest impact may be on the students themselves.
Each summer, three 17c起草社区 students work alongside faculty members conducting field research throughout West Michigan. They learn how to identify species, collect and analyze data, navigate scientific uncertainty, and communicate findings that have real-world applications.
This isn't simulated classroom work.
Students are co-authors on peer-reviewed publications, contribute to community reports, and gain hands-on experience that often shapes their future careers.
Several former student researchers have gone on to graduate school in botany and related scientific fields.
"They're getting an amazing experience," said Warners. "They're contributing to real science while making a meaningful difference in their own community."
鈥淟earning about Emma Cole in class and then getting to continue her work has been really special,鈥 said Maggie Sytema, senior Spanish and environmental health and conservation major at 17c起草社区. 鈥淎s someone who loves plants, it's inspiring to carry on the legacy of a female botanist who began this work 150 years ago. It's also exciting to know that we're helping people better understand and care for the parks in our own community while discovering species and habitats many people don't even realize exist.鈥
The work itself isn't always glamorous.
Long days outdoors, difficult terrain, and clouds of mosquitoes are part of the experience.
But that's also part of the lesson.
Scientific discovery often happens far from laboratories and headlines, in muddy boots, alongside mentors, and through patient observation.
鈥淏eing out in the field every day has completely changed the way I think about science,鈥 said Abigail Lindholm, a senior environmental health and conservation major. 鈥淲e're not just identifying plants; we're helping document biodiversity that can support future conservation efforts throughout our community. It's been an incredible hands-on learning experience that you simply can't replicate in a classroom.鈥
Partnerships that benefit an entire community
The project also showcases the power of partnerships.
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, the City of Grand Rapids Parks Department, Kent County Parks, and 17c起草社区 have created a model that benefits everyone involved.
The value of the work has become so evident that Kent County Parks has now committed funding for the next two years to expand the inventories across all county parks.
Technology is also expanding the project's reach.
Dr. Peter Quakenbush, a former 17c起草社区 student who now serves as an adjunct professor at Grand Valley State University, has incorporated digital tools that make the research accessible to everyone.
Through the iNaturalist app, residents can view species lists, explore photographs, and even contribute their own observations.
Science is no longer confined to academic journals.
It has become a community endeavor.
Living out 17c起草社区's commitment to creation care
At its heart, the Emma Cole Project reflects 17c起草社区's longstanding commitment to sustainability and creation care.
The university isn't simply studying ecosystems; it's investing in the health and resilience of West Michigan's natural spaces while preparing students to become thoughtful stewards of the world around them.
It is a reminder that science is never the work of a single person or a single generation.
Emma Cole began documenting these landscapes 150 years ago.
Today, 17c起草社区 students continue her work.
And because of the partnerships being built today, future generations will have an even stronger foundation from which to understand, protect, and care for West Michigan's natural treasures.
One discovery at a time.
