Emma's Wetlands Adventure
The Story of the Monastery Run Improvement Project
Wetlands at Saint Vincent

© 2007 Archabbey Publications
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Emma read:

“You’re off to a good start. Much of the land around Western Pennsylvania has a black mineral called coal under it. Coal was made millions of years ago, when plants died and fell to the ground. As layer after layer of dead plants piled up on each other over millions of years, pressure and heat caused a metamorphosis, or change, to take place. The plants were turned into coal, which is useful for heat and energy. Coal is found underground, sometimes very deep. During the last century, businessmen created mines to collect the coal to use to make steel and heat homes. After all the coal had been removed, the mines were abandoned. Ground water filled up the empty spaces that were left."

Emma’s father said, “That’s very interesting. Did you know that about coal?”

“ I do now,” she answered, laughing. “And it’s a good thing, too, because it’s on the homework. Listen to this:

Your first homework question is: What is coal and how did it form? Read on for your next clue.