DEC and Partners Join 5,000 Student Scientists at 21st Annual 'Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor'

 

Scientific Data Collection Connects Students with River and New York Harbor

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced that on Thursday, Oct. 5, shorefronts along the Hudson River Estuary and the piers of New York Harbor will be busy with activity as thousands of students equipped with seine nets, minnow pots, and water testing gear collect data on the Hudson’s fish and invertebrates, track the river’s tides and currents, and examine water chemistry and quality during the 21st annual celebration of A Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor.

“DEC’s annual ‘Day in the Life’ event gives student scientists up and down the river the unique opportunity to experience the tidal Hudson’s diverse habitats, fish, and wildlife,” said Commissioner Seggos. “From the Troy dam to New York Harbor, the Hudson’s bounty is ecologically invaluable to our state and much of the Atlantic coast. This annual event gives students of all ages the chance to go down to the river and learn about the environment up close, and it’s just one of the ways New York is inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.”

New York students from elementary school through college partner with DEC and environmental education centers to collect scientific data using hands-on field techniques to capture a snapshot of the river’s ecology at more than 80 sites along the Hudson River Estuary, New York Harbor, and the Mohawk River. The data collected by students provides insights into the river’s ecosystem and is posted online after the event. Participating classes represent the diversity of the school population in urban and rural communities along the estuary. This year, more than 5,000 students and educators from more than 90 schools will participate.

“Day in the Life” gives students the opportunity to don waders or use a fishing rod to collect data on many of the Hudson’s 200-plus species of fish. Most are young fish, evidence of the Hudson’s importance as a nursery habitat. In some years, students catch surprising fish like seahorses, conger eels, and needle fish. Students also examine the physical and chemical aspects of the river with a wide range of equipment from basic dissolved oxygen and pH kits, to high-tech refractometers and plastic hydrometers to measure salinity and find the salt front – the leading edge of dilute seawater pushing up the estuary.

Estuary program staff connect the field day with the classroom by conducting pre- and post-visits in numerous schools that participate in “Day in the Life.” Lessons onsite and in the classroom fulfill state learning standards in a variety of subjects. Post-trip activities connect students to other sites through collected data, helping them better understand the dynamic factors that are constantly impacting the Hudson River ecosystem.

“Day in the Life” is sponsored by DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program, in partnership with the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Columbia Climate School Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. To schedule a visit to a site, please contact the DEC Press Office at 518-402-8000 or pressoffice@dec.ny.gov. A list of six of the participating schools, partners, and event locations follows:

• Albany County: Corning Preserve Boat Launch, Colonie and Water Street Albany, NY 12207: RiverRun Montessori School and Berkshire Waldorf High School, 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. (DEC);
• Albany County: Hudson Shores Park, 2 Selke Dr., Watervliet, NY 12189: North Colonie Central School, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (School’s teachers);
• Dutchess County: Norrie Point Environmental Education Center, Margaret Norrie State Park, Staatsburg, NY 12580: Poughkeepsie High School, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. (DEC);
• Dutchess County: Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum Pavilion, 75 North Water St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601: Haviland Middle School, 9 m. – 1 p.m. (DEC);
• Manhattan: Swindlers Cove, 3703 Harlem River Dr., New York, NY 10034: Dos Puentes Elementary School, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (DEC); and
• Westchester County: Piermont Pier, Ferry Rd., Piermont, NY 10968: Clarkstown High School North, Tappan Zee High School, Spring Valley High School, and Pearl River High School, 8 a.m. – 2 m. (Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory).