Emmanuel Edusei's Online Profile

The Stroubles Creek watershed in Blacksburg, Virginia, exhibits a diverse range of physical, chemical, biological, and geomorphic attributes, shaped by both natural and human-induced processes. Photo credit: Emmanuel Edusei (self) Stroubles Physical Structure and Scale   Stroubles Creek is a freshwater second-order stream flowing 15 kilometers (9.2 miles) from the Town of Blacksburg, through Virginia Tech’s campus, and then into the New River. The 14,336-acre Stroubles Creek watershed is a sub-watershed of the New River Watershed (Parece et al., 2010).  Hydrologic and Hydraulic Processes Stroubles Creek originates from three springs in the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia. These springs form streams that flow through the Town, the Virginia Tech campus, and merge to form the Virginia Tech Duck Pond. From the town of Blacksburg, Virginia, it streams through the Virginia Tech campus to the New River, the Kanawha River, the Ohio River, the Mississippi River, and then finally, into...

Stroubles Creek originates from natural springs in Blacksburg and descends to its mouth at the New River with a final elevation of about 1,700 feet (520 meters) above sea level.  It is a subwatershed of the New River watershed. It features the Virginia Tech Duck Pond, a famous local landmark and ecological feature that acts as a division between the upper and lower watersheds. Most sections of the Stroubles Creek are “out of sight, out of mind” for many local residents, as the stream was buried near the War Memorial Gym and under Virginia Tech’s Drillfield in about 1937 (Ling 2017).  The creek has been designated as "impaired" since 2002 due to historical impacts from urbanization, excessive sedimentation, and agricultural activities (Ling 2017). Below is a PowerPoint presentation with more information on Mapping and Delineating the Stroubles Creek Watershed. This is an embedded Microsoft Office presentation, powered by Office . Thank you for reading this post. Let m...

For the 2025 spring break, I dedicated over 25 hours volunteering with Conserving Carolina (an NGO) to support communities affected by Hurricane Helena in Hendersonville, North Carolina. It was rewarding to be part of the effort to restore natural spaces, particlaurly the watershed by rebuilding trails for hikers and the local community and clearing clogged waterways along the Strawberry Gap trailhead in Gerton. In a group of eight Virginia Tech studnets, we helped replant greenery in the Oklawaha Greenway, community parks, and the children’s garden. Being hands-on in these restoration projects not only brought me closer to the environment but also allowed me to contribute meaningfully to the healing and resilience of the community after such a devastating storm. This exercise directly implemented stormwater best managenement pratices to help restore local watersheds. Below are some photos from our work:

From May 20 to 28, 2024, I was fortunate to take part in a Global Immersion Trip to Las Galeras in the Dominican Republic. This incredible journey, organized by VT Engage alongside the Community Service Alliance, combined service, learning, and cultural immersion to create a truly meaningful experience for all of us. Our small group of five students worked closely with local schools, leading workshops for high schoolers on building resumes, honing interview skills, and using social media responsibly. We also spent time with elementary students, teaching them the importance of proper handwashing, personal hygiene, and keeping their environment clean to prevent mosquito breeding. One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was volunteering to help build a new kitchen for a high school. By pitching in, we helped reduce labor costs, speed up the construction, and provide a safer, more efficient space for preparing meals that benefit so many students. This trip was not just about giving ...

Emmanuel (Asenso) Edusei, a masters student in SPIA’s Masters of Public and International Affairs program, received a travel grant through VT ENGAGE to fully immerse himself in one of the 2024 Alternative Spring Break trips to Selma, Alabama, for a service experience. He received Kingian Non-violence Conflict Reconciliation and Restorative Justice training where he learned new strategies and tools of conflict reconciliation at the Selma Healing Waters Retreat Center. He is now a Selma 2.0 Ambassador: Committed to a non-violent lifestyle, selfless volunteerism, and the to promote social justice in communities. Way to Go Emmanuel! See Linkedin post: “Once a year, go somewhere you have never been before.” – Dalai Lama For my spring break(March 2- 8, 2024) I was privileged to have been awarded a travel grant through VT ENGAGE to fully immerse myself in one of the 2024 Alternative Spring Break trips to Selma, Alabama for a service experience. On the trip I participated in a Kingian ...

By Emmanuel Edusei The dendrology of the Stroubles Creek Watershed is a living archive of Blacksburg's geological and cultural history. Nestled within the rolling landscape of the New River Valley, this watershed shelters a diverse array of native hardwoods, resilient evergreens, and understory species that together weave a vibrant, seasonal tapestry.  Each species plays a crucial role, not only in shading and stabilizing the streambanks but also in sustaining wildlife, filtering water, and shaping the local landscape's character. Stroubles Creek’s dendrology invites wanderers and learners to its embrace: a place where ecological stewardship restores balance, and every leaf is a living testament to the connection between land, water, and community. To walk among the trees of Stroubles Creek is to witness a quiet dialogue between land and water, roots and soil, human presence and the persistence of nature. Here, dendrology is not just the study of trees; it is a way of listening...