A Day in the Life of the Hudson River Estuary

What: Three thousand students and teachers, many from your area, engaging in hands-on science exploration of the Hudson River.  The Press is invited to attend.

When: Tuesday, October 18, 2011. Most sites run during school hours or after school.

Where: More than 60 waterfront locations between NYC and Troy (see schedule below for a selection of locations and schedules)

Why: A primary goal of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is to connect New Yorkers to nature.  DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program helps prepare students to become stewards of the river’s water quality and natural resources.

On Tuesday, October 18, environmental education centers and school classes all along the tidal estuary will collect scientific information and share it to portray the ecosystem on this “Day in the Life of the Hudson River.” Students will use hands-on field techniques to describe their sites, catch fish in nets, collect water and invertebrate samples, and examine water chemistry parameters. Beyond just a field trip, a “Day in the Life” allows students to collect firsthand information about their communities’ natural resources, and explore how their piece of the river fits into the larger ecosystem.

Sponsored by DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program, the “Day in the Life” event is in its ninth year.  Some 3,000 students and educators will be sampling the estuary’s waters at more than 60 sites from New York Harbor to the Capital District. In partnership with the National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, and Cornell’s NYS Water Resource Institute, the Estuary Program has recruited and trained river educators to work with students at each site.  Findings will be posted online within days of the event.
Students examine the physical and chemical aspects of the river, such as where freshwater runoff and salty seawater meet, and the amount of sediments in the water, features particularly important this year in the wake of tropical storms Irene and Lee. Students will likely observe unique features, such as increased turbidity, even weeks after the storms. “Studying the Hudson is like reading a report card for the whole watershed,” notes Estuary Program Coordinator Fran Dunwell. “Students are learning about conditions in communities throughout the valley.”

Students at some sites strap on waders and pull nets called “seines” through the water, excited to know more about fish and other aquatic life.  They may catch Hudson regulars like spottail shiners and the iconic striped bass, but sometimes real oddities appear, like the bizarre oyster toadfish or a brilliant crevalle jack.

New this year, the event organizers have provided free workshops for teachers on how to apply Day in the Life in the classroom before and after the big day, and using real time-data resources such as the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System in classrooms.  Data from all reporting sites will be posted on-line within about a week of the event, along with classroom lessons that directly reference student-collected data, so that teachers can bring the event back to school.

For more detailed information on the event and history of the event, visit the DEC website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/47285.html.

Participating classes continue to represent the full diversity of the region’s school population, from urban to rural settings. A list of confirmed sites for October 18^this below. “RM” refers to River Miles up the river as measured from the Battery at Manhattan. “NY Hbr” refers to New York Harbor, “ER” is East River, and “HRL” is Harlem River.

For additional information on teachers and partner organizations, and to schedule visits to a site, please email or call Chris Bowser, event coordinator, (845-264-5041; chbowser@gw.dec.state.ny.us).

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