Representatives from Greene Land Trust, Audubon New York, the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension were present.

Each of them touched on a number of topics from the identification of local invasive species to the commercial, ecological and social components of eels living in nearby creeks.

Larry Federman, education coordinator for Rheinstrom Hill Audubon Sanctuary and Center, said the meaning of citizen science is non-professionals getting involved in scientific activities to contribute data on what the science community considers worthwhile projects.

Federman had a booth at the fair with information on several citizen science projects. One program sponsored by Audubon, Federman called “Hummingbirds at Home,” which is relatively new.

“Instead of just keeping track of the hummingbirds in your yard, they also want to know what plants are in your yard,” he said. “What flowers are the hummingbirds going to?”

Participants also had the opportunity to meet and speak with author Akiko Busch about her latest book “The Incidental Steward: Reflections on Citizen Science.”

Busch said she discovered many great aspects of science while working with professionals through her book.

“One of things I really loved discovering is that citizen science is something really ingrained in our cultural heritage as Americans,” said Busch.

Chris Bowser, an educator with New State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Water Resource Institute at Cornell University, is calling for volunteers in Greene County for DEC’s Eel Project.

The project focuses on American eels which are a migratory fish, first hatched in the Atlantic Ocean as tiny “glass eels.” The species is in decline for a number of reasons, said Bowser, and baseline studies are required to move towards conservation.

Every year, Bowser helps gather volunteers and interns to assist the springtime study on the Hannacroix Creek sampling site, located on Route 414 between Coeymans and New Baltimore.

“I help organize teams of volunteers and train them on how to use these weird, cone-shaped nets,” said Bowser. “And every day teams of volunteers go out and open that net.” He said the net, meant for collecting eels, can range from none to thousands of the little critters.

Bowser added that American eels, in terms of ecology, are “a tremendous vital sign. They’re not some trash fish, as you might think, but they actually need very good water quality. So finding eels is a thumbs-up for that waterway that you find them in it.”

Natural Resource Educators at Cornell Cooperative Extension Rick Burstell and Audrey Kropp explained the importance of identifying invasive species located in the area. “We finally got a handle on the idea that we can’t keep doing what we’ve done for the last couple hundred years,” said Burstell.

Through research, Burstell and his associates found that when something quite noxious arrives locally from foreign land, people have a short window of opportunity to properly act.

“Once it becomes established, then it becomes very difficult, very labor intensive and very expensive,” Burstell said. “So we really are trying to get eyes out there looking around, and when you see anything that looks to be invasive here, you can always bring it to a cooperative extension or call DEC.”

Bruce Hamm, a volunteer sampler for Riverkeeper, said: “We’re basically the water quality watchdog of the Hudson River and estuaries. He said Riverkeeper is looking for volunteers to sample during the summer from April to October. Hamm works directly with the Catskill Creek.

The presenters all opened their booths to the public until 1 p.m. when the event closed down.