After many years of preparation, Wolcott Park and pond now has a windmill that will pump air into the pond which will help with the overall health and water quality of the pond. A special ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the new windmill will occur at the Wolcott Children’s Forest, located next to Wolcott Elementary School, 71 Wolcott Road, West Hartford, on Friday, April 24 at 1:30 PM.
The new windmill has a billows-type pump that pushes air through a tube into the pond. There is no electricity involved at all. This project is funded entirely through a grant, donations, and fund raising efforts of Wolcott School. The work and installation was done by teachers, parents and town employees volunteering their time. Click here for photos.
The pond, which serves as an outdoor science classroom, is relatively shallow at 5 to 6 feet which makes the pond vulnerable to summer and winter fish kill due to lack of oxygen. The windmill aerator project is targeted at addressing these conditions.
The windmill aerator works on the simple concept of pressurized air from the windmill that is forced to the bottom of the pond and released as tiny air bubbles. These bubbles oxygenate the water, help improve water circulation, prevent complete ice-over and reduce the buildup of organic material. This leaves a healthy environment for fish to thrive and a clear pond for students to investigate freely. Going forward, schoolchildren will be responsible for analyzing the health of the pond, making recommendations on maintaining it and suggestions on stocking of fish.
Along with a myriad of science and writing lessons that take place, Wolcott School hosts a number of concerts and nature programs throughout the year. Teachers use the forest and pond area as an opportunity to bring to life text book information. Studies have shown that kids have better retention of class material when linked with the outdoors.
For more information, view the Project Proposal and Layout of the Wolcott Children's Forest.