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 SPZ 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!

Earth Day Animal ExperiencesAt 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 

The 2024 City Nature ChallengeHelp 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

 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: