Earth Day at the Zoo – April 20th, 2024
Join us to celebrate the 54th anniversary of Earth Day at the Seneca Park Zoo! Come and learn about the environment and the individual actions you can take to make a difference.  
The Zoo will be hosting Earth Day activities onsite and offsite. Onsite, join a naturalist at our animal experiences to learn about conservation, come talk to our various community and conservation partners to learn about the earth and participate in some fun activities, or stop by the Trailside Café and check out one of our Earth Day special sustainable food options.  Alternatively, join us offsite between 9am-12pm at Durand Eastman Beach to participate in a park cleanup to help keep our planet healthy. 
Earth Day Cleanup! 
Join the Seneca Park Zoo for our annual Earth Day clean up at Durand Eastman Beach! Last year with the help of 260 volunteers we removed over 600lbs of trash from the beach.  
Sign up here
Location: Durand Eastman Beach 
Date: April 20th, 2024  
Time: 9am-12pm  
Address: 1342 Lakeshore Boulevard Rochester NY, 14617  
Meeting location: Parking lot B  
https://goo.gl/maps/sant8uLcUyY7yA238  

Sign Up for Earth Day Cleanup!

The 2024 City Nature Challenge
Help Rochester compete with cities all around the world to make the most observations of nature, find the most species, and engage the most people over a three-day period!
 Learn More
Earth Day Animal Experiences
At our animal experiences come and learn about the threats animals at the zoo would face out in nature and find ways you can get involved to help!  
10:30 a.m. – Polar Bear & Climate Change
12:00 p.m. – Elephants & Poaching
1:30 p.m. – Frog or Turtle Keeper Chat & Pollution 
2:30 p.m. – River Otters, Pollution & Hunting
3:30 p.m. – Baboons & Impact of Predator Loss
* Animal demos/enrichment are always subject to change/cancellation without notice due to to the care and comfort of the animal.
Environmental Stations to Investigate!
USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)- Invasive Species 
Full Day Attendance 
Join the USDA to learn about plant protection from invasive species that pose a threat to natural resources. The USDA’s role is the continued safeguarding U.S. agriculture and natural resources against the entry, establishment, and spread of environmentally significant pests. They will have temporary stick-on tattoos, informational flyers, biological samples of some of the invasive pests that USDA-APHIS monitors for, and insect traps to show visitors how they monitor for invasive pests. 
Learn more about the USDA by visiting their website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth 
Department of Environmental Services- Solid Waste 
Full Day Attendance 
Join Meagan Evans-Saurini, the Environmental Educator for Monroe County’s Department of Environmental Services, to learn more about the County’s recycling programs, how to Recycle Right and information regarding the Monroe County / WM ecopark. Bring your questions and receive a free recycling magnet and bag (while supplies last)! 
Genesee Land Trust- Nature is for Everyone! 
9:30am-3:00pm 
The Department of Environmental Services will have a table of ‘cool stuff’ found in nature, along with information about a fun-for-all team challenge they are running this year and upcoming free events people can enjoy. Genesee Land Trust, in partnership with communities and people like you, permanently protects local lands to help wildlife, support farming, keep our waters clean, slow the impacts of climate change, and provide people with access to nature. Since 1989 they have saved 8,000+ acres, including 22 families farms and 19 public nature preserves.  
Visit the Genesee Land Trust website to find places to explore and free events for all ages and abilities at www.geneseelandtrust.org 
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)- Butterfly BeltwayTBDJoin the RIT capstone students and learn about pollinators and wildflowers! Hands on seed ball making for wildflower plantings, coloring, and information for all ages.
Lollypop Farms & Rochester Animal Services (RAS)- Pet Body Language & Behavior9:30am-2:00pmLollypop & RAS will be talking about different community resources like their pet food pantry, low-cost vet services, TNVR, etc. Learn about animal body language through a red light/green light game with prizes! Make DIY pet enrichment items that you can take home or leave with Lollypop for the shelter pets to use.
Braddock Bay Bird Observatory- Helping Our Feathered Friends10:00am-3:00pmWhether you live on a large farm in the country or in a tiny apartment in the city, there are lots of things you can do to help our native birds! Braddock Bay Bird Observatory will be sharing ways you can help our feathered friends, as they share stories of some of our most amazing birds.
Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC)- Habitat Loss & Animal’s Adaptations to Their Habitats10:00am-3:00pmRMSC is planning to showcase the Enviro-scape demonstration, which educates on run-off and its environmental impacts, a touch table with different kinds of animal furs, as well as activity that involves examining various slides under a microscope.
Seneca Parks Zoo’s Docents- Our Collective impact9:30am-11:30am & 3:00pm-4:30pmWe may each be one person in a big world, but together we can make a big difference. At this station, guests will share conservation actions they’re taking or will take to help the planet, which will demonstrate our collective impact.
 
Other Great Earth Day Resources:
The Canopy Project – For every $1 donated 1 tree is planted!
Snailing at Chittenango Falls (blog)
Water and Where it Goes (blog)
Recycling
Otter Recycling (video)
Learn to How to Compost! (video)
Recycling Guides (Downloadable PDFs):
Mixed Recycling Guide 1
Mixed Recycling Guide 2
 
Climate Focused
Heat Trapping Metaphor (video)
Responsible Consumerism
Check out these programs and apps they have created to download and use to make sure you are making sustainable choices when you shop!
Seafood Watch
Sustainable Palm Oil
Upcycling
Paper Bag-Basket Project
Planters Project 
Steps Toward Personal Sustainability
Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor: