- Division of Ecological Restoration
This fall, DER and the University of Massachusetts Amherst will partner for the fourth consecutive year to offer an independent study for graduate and undergraduate students interested in learning about dam removal and river restoration efforts in Massachusetts. The Dam Removal Practicum (as it is known at UMass) exposes and integrates students into the project management teams that are working to advance various dam removals throughout the Commonwealth. In each of the previous academic years, students from the Civil Engineering and Environmental Conservation Departments at UMass have been selected to participate in the course. Students attend dam removal public meetings, participate in project team meetings, review technical deliverables such as engineering plans, hydraulic studies, or permit applications, and witness dam deconstruction in progress. DER’s primary goal for the course is to educate and cultivate future ecological restoration practitioners and assist students with making professional connections for possible career opportunities. The Dam Removal Practicum is funded in part by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation – Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Competitive Grant Program.
Photo: Dam practicum held at Rattlesnake Brook Restoration, courtesy of Patricia J. Murphy.
