Day in the Life of the Hudson River

On one day each autumn, thousands of students from New York City to the Mohawk Valley participate in the annual "A Day in the Life of the Hudson River" event. Students collect scientific information to create snapshots of the river at dozens of locations, then share their data using the internet so they can better understand how their piece of the river fits into the larger Hudson estuary ecosystem. At each location, teams of students and environmental educators use seine nets and simple equipment to investigate aquatic life, water chemistry and quality, tides, and weather.

Participants' findings contribute to ongoing research projects, and data from the event is incorporated into the lesson plans developed by WRI staff with the Hudson River Estuary Program and available to all teachers in the Hudson Valley.

Where possible, Estuary Program and WRI staff facilitate partnerships between participating classes and local environmental education organizations for Day in the Life. Training workshops, online lesson plans, specialized equipment, twelve years of data, and other resources are provided.

For more information, contact hrteach [at] dec.ny.gov