DEC Announces 'Science on the River' Open House at Norrie Point

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve invite the public to celebrate National Estuaries Day at an interactive Science on the River Open House at Norrie Point Environmental Center in Staatsburg (Dutchess County) on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Registration is not required for this free, family-friendly event.

The open house features opportunities to canoe the waters around Norrie Point, watch a live birds of prey program with Wildlife Rehabilitator Annie Mardiney, interact with oyster castles, pull a seine-net through the shallow waters, or fish the Hudson River Estuary from the patio with a rod and reel. All equipment is provided, and no fishing license is required for this event.

Interactive experiences include the eel touch tank, turtle terrarium, and an aquarium with crabs and baby lake sturgeon. Visitors can also look at macroinvertebrates (water bugs) through a digital microscope and explore the many ways scientists test the waters.

Visitors can enjoy a special performance of Estuary Tales a production from Arm-of-the-Sea Theater. This performance fuses live music, dance, and large-scale puppet theater in a deep dive into the Hudson River. Giant sturgeon, eels, and river otters ply the stage, alongside steamboats, anglers, immigrants, and community scientists. Visit the Norrie Point Environmental Center for directions.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association designated the Hudson River Research Reserve in 1982 as part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, a network of 29 protected U.S. coastal areas that promote sustainability and improve coastal management through research and education about estuaries. The sites and programs of the Reserve are managed in partnership with DEC, DEC's Hudson River Estuary Management Program, and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.