News Release
SYRACUSE – This weekend, visitors to the annual Fall-Tastic Trail Walk can participate in a science experiment that blends festive fun with environmental education.
The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation (WACF) is launching a “Pumpkin Decomposition Experiment,” inviting families and nature enthusiasts to select a pumpkin for a donation and observe how it decomposes in different environments – be it dry land, the water’s edge, or the low-oxygen muck of a wetland at the Levinson-LaBrosse Lakes and Wetlands Education Center.
Participants will choose a pumpkin, place it in one of the three locations, and await the results over the coming weeks. Will it dry out rapidly on dry land? Will moisture near the shore cause it to decay faster? Or will the cool, saturated muck of the wetland slow the decomposition process?
This experiment illustrates how soil, water, oxygen, and microorganisms contribute to the recycling of organic matter, promoting ecosystem health.
Pumpkins will be available for donation during the Fall-Tastic Trail Walk, scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, at 11586 N. SR 13, Syracuse.
In addition, WACF will host a special Halloween event at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Ruddell Pavilion. This event, titled “Science of Decomposition,” will reveal the results of the community pumpkin experiment, showcasing how pumpkins decompose on dry land, at the water’s edge, and within wetland muck.
Participants can expect hands-on activity stations and a live science demonstration by County Coroner Tyler Huffer, who will explain how microorganisms in water and soil affect decomposition and their implications for medical examinations.
Whether a pumpkin turns to mush in a few days or retains its shape for weeks, each experiment will highlight the vital role Indiana’s wetlands play in recycling organic matter and enhancing ecosystem health.
