Activities described by youth mentor Ileya du Boulay with contributions from youth fellows Polly, Sumaiya, and Tanajae.
Every Tuesday of the summer intensive, youth fellows and volunteers gathered at the NATURE LAB before heading out to do their field work/field trips. Along with their mentor, Ileya du Boulay, and Co-Director, Ellie Irons, they travelled around to different water bodies in and around the Troy Area and spoke to many different people regarding the wildlife in the water.
Week 1: Kayak Tour of the Hudson/Mohawk Confluence
On the first day of the Summer Intensive Youth fellows were able to take a kayaking tour of the Hudson/Mohawk Confluence. For some of them it was the very first time they had ever been on a kayak. Following the guide they entered Lock E-2 and were able to experience going up and down the lock. A Barge joined in on the fellows way down the lock, giving them a pleasant surprise. Upstate Kayak Rentals
Week 2: Macro-Invertebrate Sampling & Land Conservation at Otter Creek
Youth fellows followed Doug Reed to a portion of Otter Creek owned and cared for by the Hudson Taconic Lands. Reed provided the Youth Fellows with nets and trays to catch macroinvertebrate and identify the type. One of each species found was collected and sent off to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to be surveyed. Along with invertebrates, the Youth Fellows partnered with resident artist, Natan Diacon-Furtado, to play around with radio sound waves through the water in a copper soundbowl.
Week 3: Macroinvertebrate Sampling and Dam Removal on the Poestenkill
Mathew Best, a Riverkeeper Dam specialist, took the Youth Fellows to a portion of the Poestenkill stream, right next to the Ida Lake Dam. Fellows observed the pros and cons of the Dam. Most fellows came to the conclusion that removing the weakened dam will be beneficial to the community. Along with dam conversation, fellows also did some macro-invertebrate inspections, concluding that the wildlife was plentiful but lacked large creatures due to the dams presence. Matthew Best interview
Week 4: Tracing a Buried / Urban / Suburban Stream: The Piscawenkill
Here the fellows were joined by environmental activist, Benita Law-Diao, in tracing the Piscawenkill and gathering samples. A liquid antenna workshop was led by Natan Diacon-Furtado. A deep listening soundscape session was led by Ileya du Boulay.
Week 5: CSO’s and Wastewater Treatment
Visiting lecturers from the DEC and RPI gave a presentation at NATURE Lab on Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO), the process behind wastewater and water treatment, and history regarding it. Samples of sludge from a wastewater treatment plant were looked at under a microscope.
Week 6: The Big Bend Preserve
Fellows followed A’Livija Mullins-Richard, volunteer coordinator and Air Justice Lab (AJL) lead, to the Big Bend Preserve in Moreau, NY. There the fellow got a tour of the preserve, specifically the prescribed burn sites, by the tour guide Lina Capovani, a state park employee. They also tinkered with sound waves using the river water. The fellows learned about the native species and butterflies that lived in this area and learned of the preserved efforts to increase the number of these species.
