Stream Forensics Workshop
with Matt Thatcher and Noel Deyette
Saturday, June 8, 10:30am-12:30pm
​
Barberville Falls Preserve
Averill Park, NY 12018
Pre-registration is required - space is limited, so register early.
To register, click on the link below.
​
$10 suggested donation; any amount is welcome.
​
This event is capped at 15 participants.
Registration will close on Friday, June 7 at 3pm,
or sooner if the cap is reached.
​
Sorry, registration has closed
​
​
About this outing
You are invited to visit another world, the world of freshwater organisms living in our streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. We will collect a variety of aquatic insects and do some basic field identification of these critters that call our watershed home.
This workshop will cover the basics of collecting specimens, how to identify organisms at the family level, and the niches in a watershed lead to diversity of organisms. We’ll also discuss some of the basics of stream ecology, water quality protocols, and the importance of protecting our local streams.
We will meet at the Barberville Falls Preserve parking area, then take a 15-minute hike on the Ridge Trail to our collection site on the Poesten Kill. Field identification books, collecting kits, and equipment will be provided. Following careful handling and identification, the organisms we collect will be released back into the Poesten Kill.
What to expect & what to bring
This workshop will involve approximately two hours of outdoor instruction, including standing, kneeling, and hands-on practice. There will be walking to and from instruction sites. The terrain at Barberville Falls can be quite hilly, so please be prepared for some steep trails on the walk to and from the Poesten Kill. Make sure to dress in weather-appropriate layers and wear sturdy footwear. Trails and instruction sites may be muddy.
​
Please bring water, a snack, appropriate footwear and layers, a foam pad or towel to kneel on, and your curiosity. You are welcome to bring a field guide, hand lens, or magnifying glass if you have one.
To comply with collecting license requirements, all aquatic organisms will be collected by workshop leader Matt Thatcher.
About the outing leaders
Matt Thatcher is a graduate of SUNY-ESF Ranger school and currently working as a biologist technician doing water quality work under an environmental consultant. He has led several outings for RPA in the past few years.
​
Noel Deyette is currently employed as a Physical Scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey NYWSC Soil and Low-Ionic-Strength Water Quality Laboratory. Her background includes a M.S. and a B.S. in Environmental Science and she has worked on a diverse array of projects including the following study areas: hydrology, watersheds research, tree growth changes resulting from acidic deposition and climate change, wetland delineation, aquatic biota surveys, forest soil health, surface water quality, air quality, quality assurance (QA) and long-term trends through atmospheric deposition monitoring (as part of the QA team for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP)).
​
Questions
If you have questions about this event, please contact Kim at kim@rensselaerplateau.org. Please note that registration for this event will close on Friday, June 7 at 3pm, or sooner if the participant cap is reached.
​
​
​
​