Lessoning Loosestrife

What is Lessoning Loosestrife?

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Purple Loosestrife under attack by Galerucella beetles.

Lessoning Loosestrife is curriculum designed for elementary - high school level students to help teach about wetlands, invasive species, and about using biocontrol beetles as a tool for controlling a wetland invader, purple loosestrife. Our aim is to not only teach lessons about loosestrife and key ecological concepts, but also to lessen the impact of this invader, while developing and reinforcing a stewardship ethic in students.

The development of this standards-based curriculum was paid for by 5 Star Restoration Grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. It was developed by Liz Duff, Education Coordinator of Mass Audubon's Salt Marsh Science Project, in cooperation with Beth Suedmeyer, Restoration Planner for the Massachusetts Wetland Restoration Program.

Essential Understandings of Lessoning Loosestrife

The lessons contain 6 essential understandings including:

A.	Wetlands have important functions that humans protect.
B.	Invasive species are a threat to some of the wetland functions.
C.	Humans are working to protect and restore wetlands.
D.	Raising and releasing beetles is a way that students and teachers can contribute to wetland health.
E.	Monitoring wetlands is a way to check how successful restoration efforts have been.
F.	Mapping invasive species and beetle damage is a way to assess how widespread the problem is, and to begin to plan how to best approach the problem.

G.	Background Materials. (Safety checklists, Massachusetts science frameworks connections, etc.)

Who might find this curriculum useful?

These lessons are useful not only to those participating in or planning to begin biocontrol treatments of purple loosestrife infestations, but also to teachers who would like some simple, effective hands-on, inquiry based activities for exploring wetlands -- introducing the topic of invasive species and helping students develop an attitude of stewardship and community service in their classrooms. The curriculum is also useful to informal educators who may work with other audiences such as camps, after-school groups or home-school students.