Meet Carl VanFaasen . . . Science Teacher … AND Author!
A Holland High School
teacher's research efforts connects our area's Dutch settlement
history with science to provide a comprehensive environmental
perspective of the Macatawa Watershed.
Carl VanFaasen, a chemistry teacher at Holland High, teamed up with
Jennifer Soukhome, a science teacher at Zeeland East, and Graham
Peaslee, a professor of chemistry and environmental science at Hope
College, to write the book "An Environmental History of The Lake
Macatawa Watershed."
The book offers a clear and compelling answer to the phosphorus
problem of the watershed, an area of 179 square miles in the cities
of Holland and Zeeland and parts of a number of surrounding
townships. Lake Macatawa has an approximate
surface area of 1,800 acres.
"We tied the history of our area with the science of our area in a
unique way," said VanFaasen, who has been a teacher for 17 years,
including 14 at Holland High. His research kept him close to home
as Van Faasen is also a Holland High School and Hope College
graduate.
"The way the land was used by the Dutch
settlers, along with a variety of other natural and human
factors,
all contributed to today's over-abundance of phosphorus in the
watershed," he said.
Some causes of changes to our watershed involved human activities
such as creating a transportation network, developing agriculture
to sustain human settlement and expanding industry.
Settlers didn't understand the vital role wetlands play in keeping
a
watershed healthy and early agriculture practices did not include
careful topsoil management. The book doesn't place blame, but
examines a variety of issues contributing to the problem.
"We're never going to make the problem go away, but we can reduce
the negative impacts," VanFaasen said. "This is something that can
be controlled. We just have to be better stewards of our
environment. There's reason for hope."
Van Faasen and his two co-authors spent the past four summers
studying the watershed. They interviewed more than a dozen local
experts with business, government, utility, and agricultural
backgrounds. Research was conducted at several places including the
Joint Archives of Holland, the Zeeland Historical Society, the
Macatawa Area Coordinating
Council and Macatawa Greenway.
"An Environmental History of the Lake Macatawa Watershed" costs
$15. It's available for purchase at the Hope College bookstore,
Reader's World or by e‑mailing Van Faasen directly at
cvanfaas@hollandpublicschools.org.
