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From Tiny Eels to a Healthy River: Seeing the Bigger Picture
From Tiny Eels to a Healthy River: Seeing the Bigger Picture
These tiny eels might look funny, but they’re part of a big mission: restoring native species to the Susquehanna River
Dams and barriers once blocked eel migration across much of the PA watershed — restoration efforts and fish passages are helping reconnect the system
Yesterday, I spent the morning at Montour Preserve working with the Vernal School in my role as a Technical STEM Facilitator/Digital Navigator. I was installing and configuring equipment to support environmental education — and in between the work, I found myself standing in front of a tank full of juvenile American eels.
I have to admit — they’re funny little creatures. Wiggly. Curious. Like tiny living question marks.
These eels are part of the “Eels in the Classroom” program, helping raise native species that will eventually be released back into the Susquehanna River as part of long-term restoration efforts. The Eels in the Classroom program is part of an educational initiative offered by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission it gives students, teachers, and community members a hands‑on opportunity to learn about native American eels and the vital ecological role they play in the watershed.
What makes this even more powerful is that the eel tank streams live to YouTube through the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper — allowing students and community members to observe restoration in real time. The display at Montour Preserve has educational panels and a 24/7 underwater livestream it was developed through a partnership between the Vernal School Environmental Education Partnership, the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, and local conservation partners
You can watch the live eel cam here:
👉 Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper YouTube – Eel Cam
This is where education, ecology, and technology intersect.
Technology isn’t replacing nature. It’s helping us understand it, it’s helping us see it.
Earlier this season, I joined students from Susquehanna Universities Freshwater Institute, along with the Riverkeeper and volunteers, at the fish ladder at the Adam T. Bower Memorial Dam.
We were conducting species counts — carefully documenting what’s moving through the system.
And we caught adult eels.
Big ones.
Strong. Thick. Surprisingly powerful ray-finned fish that have traveled an incredible migratory journey.
Standing there with students and with my son you realize something important:
These aren’t just fish.
They’re indicators.
Can you read more about that expericene by following this link: https://www.fessleritconsulting.com/projects-outreach/stem-outreach/hands-on-environmental-science-aquatic-study-with-susquehanna-university
I’ve run into people who don’t immediately see the value of eels.
But when you zoom out, the picture becomes clearer:
Healthy native species → Healthy river
Healthy river → Cleaner water
Cleaner water → Stronger ecosystems
Stronger ecosystems → Stronger community
It’s not about loving eels.
It’s about understanding systems.
This is what I care about in my work as a STEM facilitator and Digital Navigator.
Helping people see connections.
It’s easy to think in binaries:
Nature vs. technology
Human vs. environment
Pro-tech vs. anti-tech
But when you look closely at what’s happening at Montour Preserve, you see something different.
You see cameras helping students observe wildlife.
You see data helping track species restoration.
You see collaboration between schools, universities, nonprofits, and the community.
You see tools being used to strengthen the natural system — not compete with it.
Sometimes the smallest creatures tell the biggest stories.
Those tiny eels swimming in a tank at Montour Preserve represent migration, resilience, education, restoration, and long-term thinking.
They remind us that we are part of the system we’re trying to improve.
And when we understand that — truly understand it — the decisions we make start to change.
It’s not about loving eels — it’s about understanding systems.
Take a closer look at the systems around you.
The river.
The wildlife.
The technology.
The students learning to connect it all.
Everything is more connected than it first appears.
And sometimes, it starts with a funny little eel.
American eels are considered a keystone species — their presence supports mussel reproduction and water quality, showing how even one species plays a role in the broader river health.
Author’s Note
Author’s Note
This article was written by Douglas E. Fessler. The ideas and reflections are my own, drawing on decades of experience in IT, environmental monitoring, STEM education, and community initiatives. AI-assisted tools were used to structure and clarify complex concepts — a reflection, in itself, of the subject explored.
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