Students investigate the Gowanus Canal’s water health and measure water quality parameters for dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity and turbidity during a 90 minute, in-person, outdoor field trip. Using testing equipment, students collect and discuss data. They discuss New York City’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) issue, solutions for cleaner water, the role of a keystone organism in water health, and why we value good water health of the Gowanus Canal and other NYC waterways. Students' water quality data is uploaded to a publicly accessible database after their trip.
Students also investigate how the Atlantic ribbed mussel contributes toward a healthier waterway and how GCC and others are working to ensure their survival. Teachers receive pre and post trip resources.

Important Notes:
- Port-a-potty bathroom availability (single person occupancy at a time, not accessible. If accessibility is needed, accommodations may be available if noted in advance)
- Program is fully outdoors, tents and rain coverings will be used where possible.
- Trips occur rain or shine, reschedules are not guaranteed.
- Dangerous conditions (thunder, heavy rain, high winds, extreme cold or heat) can result in tour cancellation by GCC, with either a full refund or effort to reschedule.

This trip runs between 75-90 minutes.

In this outdoor field trip, students will visit the Lowlands Nursery and become urban ecologists, exploring the Gowanus ecosystem. Students will get the chance to make unique observations, explore the wildlife and plants of the Canal, and become stewards for improving ecosystem health. Teachers will receive pre- and post-visit materials to accompany their trip experience.

Important Notes:
- Port-a-potty bathroom availability (single person occupancy at a time, not accessible. If accessibility is needed, accommodations may be available if noted in advance)
- Program is fully outdoors, tents and rain coverings will be used where possible.
- Trips occur rain or shine, reschedules are not guaranteed.
- Dangerous conditions (thunder, heavy rain, high winds, extreme cold or heat) can result in tour cancellation by GCC, with either a full refund or effort to reschedule.

On walking tours, students gain historical perspective on the Gowanus Canal as a former salt marsh that became a polluted industrial waterway, with a Superfund clean up and stewardship efforts underway. Students learn about industrial waste and Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) as the two primary sources of water pollution. Students will also be able to observe and calculate the water saved by the various types of Green Infrastructure they discover and learn about along their route.

They will see how green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, bioswales and permeable pavement are engineered to reduce CSO and climate impacts such as increased precipitation and the urban heat island effect.

Important Notes:
- Walking tours have different start and end points.
- Tours start on the public esplanade, south west corner of the Carroll Street Bridge.
- Limited/no bathroom availability
- Tour is fully outdoors, rain will limit paper-based activities
- Tours occur rain or shine, reschedules are not guaranteed.
- Dangerous conditions (thunder, heavy rain, high winds, extreme cold or heat) can result in tour cancellation by GCC, with either a full refund or effort to reschedule.

Additional tour dates and times may be available. Inquire with education[at]gowanuscanalconservancy.org.

To schedule a college/university or adult tour and for program fees email education[at]gowanuscanalconservancy.org.

Can urban landscapes have habitat that supports native flora and fauna? How can habitat be viewed differently within an urban landscape, beyond parks and in everyday spaces like streetscapes and urban waterfronts? Explore all this and more as we walk through the Gowanus community, find plants, animals, their connection to the greater ecosystem and ourselves.

Students will tour a 1/4 mile of the Gowanus waterfront exploring habitats within an urban ecosystem along public waterfront esplanades. The start and end point of this tour are not the same.

Important Notes:
- Walking tours have different start and end points.
- Tours start at the GCC Offices on the corner of 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue (bathroom available)
- Tours end at the waterfront esplanade at 365 Bond Street.
- Limited/no bathroom availability along tour route
- Tour is fully outdoors, rain will limit paper-based activities
- Dangerous conditions (thunder, heavy rain, high winds, extreme cold or heat) can result in tour cancellation by GCC, with either a full refund or effort to reschedule.

Additional tour dates and times may be available. Inquire with education[at]gowanuscanalconservancy.org.

To schedule a college/university or adult tour and for program fees email education[at]gowanuscanalconservancy.org.

This site visit takes place at the public esplanade at 420 Carroll Street where we focus on the landscape, its intentional design, and future restoration. Together we explore the value of native plants in regard to resiliency, supporting biodiversty, and extending itself to human health and well-being.

Students will have the opportunity to use design plans used by landscape architects, identify native plants, survey and explore invertebrates supported by the planted spaces, and design their own salt marsh, inspired by the restoration coming soon to the adjacent area next to this site. Activities and materials will be adjusted by grade level.

Important notes:
- This site visit is fully outdoors and takes place rain or shine, rain may limit the extent of our activities that require paper materials. Reschedules are not guaranteed.
- There is limited to no availability of restroom use while at the site. Arrangements can be made for a restroom stop before or after this experience if requested/needed.
- Bus access to the site is limited, drop-off and pickup will need to be made on 3rd Avenue and classes will need to walk down to the site via Carroll Street on public sidewalks.
- This experience takes place in a public waterfront space.
- Dangerous conditions (thunder, heavy rain, high winds, extreme cold or heat) can result in tour cancellation by GCC, with either a full refund or effort to reschedule.