Blog

TWO great programs coming up! First, join us for an afternoon exploring the amazing, tiny creatures that live under rocks in streams. We’ll use kick nets to capture a stream sample from the creek, pull out and identify organisms, learn what they tell us about water quality and draw pictures of what we find. It’sRead more

The 2015 Annual Report for the Community Science Institute is now available for online viewing. Go to ‘About’ then ‘Newsletters and Annual Reports’.Read more

The CSI website is being upgraded. The CSI database continues to function normally at database.communityscience.org. If you need assistance, please call 607-257-6606. Thank you for your patience.Read more

GreenStar Natural Foods Market chose the Community Science Institute as a beneficiary of their ‘Bring your own bag’ program. Thanks GreenStar! April – June you can show your support for CSI at GreenStar by placing the token you receive when you bring your own bag(s) in our bin.Read more

CSI 2016 Symposium Invitation. We hope to see you there!Read more

  The 2014 Annual Report for the Community Science Institute is now available for online viewing. Go to ‘About’ then ‘Newsletters and Annual Reports’.Read more

We wanted to share a great article that demonstrates how community-led science agendas are dealing with significant issues. This really speaks to our mission: The mission of the Community Science Institute (CSI) is to foster and support environmental monitoring by volunteers in order to educate the public about natural resources and to collect scientifically credible data for useRead more

  Application deadline: April 15, 2016 Who might be interested in this internship: a) Undergraduate students; b) Individuals with B.S., M.S. or Ph.D. degrees; and c) Anyone interested in learning about certified environmental testing and public science outreach. Compensation and hours: Internship runs from May 2 to Sept. 2. Some flexibility in start and endRead more

June 28th, 3:30-6:30 pm Departing from the dock at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market $20 for adults, $18 for students/Seniors, and $15 for kids 5-12. 4-H2O Members and their families are FREE! Click here to register Sail ho! For the tenth year running, the 4-H2O Youth Science Club will be partnering with the Floating Classroom to collect and analyze water samplesRead more

IF YOUR WELL WAS FLOODED DURING SUNDAY’S STORM, YOUR WATER MAY NOT BE SAFE TO DRINK! Extreme flooding events, like those seen in our region after downpours on Sunday, can significantly compromise drinking water supplies. Floodwaters often carry biological and chemical contaminants that can make consumers sick; including bacteria, deicing salts, animal excrement, untreated sewage,Read more

The Six Mile Creek Volunteer Group was recognized by the Town of Ithaca Conservation Board for their contributions to Ithaca’s natural environment. The Richard B. Fischer Environmental Conservation Award was presented to the Six Mile Creek volunteers at a tree planting ceremony  in Ithaca’s Grandview Park, which is in the Six Mile Creek watershed. CSIRead more

In recognition of National Drinking Water Week, the Community Science Institute will be offering tours of the certified laboratory and discounted coliform bacteria testing for residents with private wells. National Drinking Water Week raises awareness about drinking water protection and highlights the importance of the availability of safe drinking water. Less than one percent (1%)Read more

A stream monitoring collaboration between the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association (SLPWA) and the Community Science Institute (CSI) to monitor streams flowing to Seneca Lake involved some 45 local volunteers collecting samples from Catherine Creek, Reeder Creek, and Big Stream throughout 2014. With plans to expand the stream monitoring to additional watersheds, SLPWA and CSIRead more

With extreme weather events on the rise and government research budgets getting slashed, the need for locally relevant data is more important than ever for managing resources at the municipal scale. CSI’s 11th Annual Volunteer Symposium, “Community-Based Monitoring in a Changing Climate” will highlight how changes in the climate have the potential to impact localRead more

More than 6 million New Yorkers get their drinking water from private wells. If your drinking water comes from a private well, you are responsible for your own water supply. This is a big responsibility that can seem overwhelming. The good news is that your well can be safely managed with regular inspections and testing. Responsible managementRead more