Hudson River Estuary Program Education And Interpretation

Investing in the Hudson's Future

A group of students seine off the beach
at Cohotate Preserve

Long taken for granted or ignored, abused and polluted, in recent decades the river has been reborn thanks to the efforts of concerned citizens, advocacy groups, and government. To continue this progress and address remaining problems, those who live and visit here must understand the Hudson's vitality and value, and learn to act in ways that will protect the estuary. A new generation must be educated to take over as stewards of the river.

The Hudson River Estuary Program is lending critical support to these tasks. Most of its efforts are aimed at a network of river education providers ranging from community-based non-profit groups to classroom teachers and government agencies.

For Classroom Teachers:

Lesson plans: The Estuary Program is creating curriculum materials for K-12 study of the river. These lesson plans are place-based, interdisciplinary, and aligned with NYS learning standards. Lesson plans designed for Grades 3-5 are now available.
A Day in the Life of the Hudson River - At this annual event, thousands of students, teachers and education partners observe and sample the Hudson River Estuary on the same day, then share data online. For more information, including five years of data, visual aids and lesson plans, please visit the Day in the Life website using the offsite links on the right side of this page.
Workshop presentations covering basic foundation information about the Hudson River Estuary, introduces hands on activities designed for classroom use, and shares Hudson River estuary program lesson plans
Classroom Programs throughout the Hudson Valley to assist teachers in incorporating educational programs about the Hudson in classrooms.

The program's 21-foot puzzle depicts
the Hudson River Estuary in its entirety.

Community Programs:

Grants to support interpretation and education projects along the estuary
Interpretive signs at shoreline sites along the Hudson point out ecological and historical highlights at each location
Hudson River Almanac: You can read or share your own observations to weekly description of river observations from the High Peaks of the Adirondacks to New York Harbor.
Interpretive exhibits at riverfront festivals and community gatherings
Technical assistance for community program development

Other Education Materials:

Hudson River Web Pages - The estuary program maintains web pages with introductory information on the Hudson River the Hudson River Estuary and a Virtual Tour of the Hudson.
Posters - The posters shown below make eye-catching additions to any classroom, exhibit, or home. These are available free of charge to Hudson Valley communities, organizations, and individuals. Please click on thumbnails below for an enlarged picture:

Brochures, Stickers and Fact sheets - The programs has a range of materials including sturgeon brochures, estuary fact sheets, logo stickers and bookmarks.

Please contact the Estuary Program staff for more information about education programs and resources.