Hudson River Ecology Course at CURB (HRECC)

This summer, CURB offered a pilot program of our new Hudson River Ecology Course at CURB, generously funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program.

The Hudson River Ecology Course at CURB (HRECC) is a college-level introductory course on ecology, using the Hudson River as a lens. Purposely kept small because of COVID restrictions, we sponsored 8 local Yonkers teens to participate in 2 weeks of hands-on experiences.

Students participated in our more typical programming like seining and water quality testing, but also learned new concepts and field methods like sediment surveying, bacteria monitoring, plankton collection, fish identification, and oyster monitoring, mixed in with in-depth lessons on organism relationships, the food web, reproduction and evolution, terrestrial ecosystems in our watershed, and human impacts on the environment. Students were also introduced to a variety of environmental-oriented careers to give them more insight into the wide world of green careers. 

Daily surveys showed that students learned a lot of new information while also having a lot of fun. At the end of the program, students reported a stronger sense of scientific capabilities, stronger feelings of environmental conservation, and more interest in environmental careers. 

We plan to continue offering this program in summers to come, so stay tuned for more information!