CHS student scientists traded the lab room for the riverbank during the annual Day in the Life of the Hudson & Harbor held October 6.
Chatham science teachers Mrs. Fischer, Ms. Murawski, and Mrs. Coles accompanied 32 students to the Henry Hudson Waterfront Park in Hudson, where they stepped into the shoes (or in this case, waders) of real-world environmental researchers. Working alongside experts from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, our students spent the day gathering real-time ecological data on everything from dissolved oxygen, pH, and water temperature to turbidity and tidal movements. They also caught, logged, and released a whopping 532 fish, including a cool tessellated darter, striped bass, golden and spottail shiners, sunfish, banded killifish, and 12 blue crabs!
Chatham has been proud to participate in this important community science event for over 15 years. The data our students collect joins observations from over 5,000 students at over 90 sites along the Hudson River. Their work informs legislators and environmental agencies working to protect the health and sustainability of the river.
