Getting to Know Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

Did you know that microscopic organisms called cyanobacteria are what form harmful algal blooms (HABs) that cause beach closures? Did you know that these organisms have been around much longer than the lake itself and are one of the oldest life forms on Earth? Stop by Stewart Park to find out more!

The Community Science Institute (CSI) will have a field lab set up near the floating boat dock at Stewart Park where we’ll be collecting and looking at lake samples. We’ll explore what cyanobacteria look like both from the lake shore and through a microscope. At 1:30 PM and again at 2:30 PM we will provide a kid-friendly presentation for you to learn about the fascinating ecology of cyanobacteria and their role in Cayuga’s diverse aquatic community. We’ll also present on our ongoing Cayuga Lake HABs Monitoring Program and how you can get involved!

COVID-19 Safety Precautions: We are limiting the number of participants in this program to no more than 10 at a time and those participating must practice social distancing. Face masks are required. If you want to assure that your family can participate at a specific time, we recommend that you sign up in advance.

You can drop by our field lab set up at Stewart Park anytime between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. We will limit the size of the group gathered at any one time to 10, so if you’d like to be assured a space for your family, please register for either the 1 – 2 PM or the 2 – 3 PM time window. To reserve a spot, email adrianna@communityscience.org