The Niobrara National Scenic River, along with the Niobrara Council, is offering opportunities for the public to participate in scientific research on Friday afternoons through July 31.  They will take place at the Niobrara National Scenic River Visitor Center in Valentine.  Due to social distancing best practices, each session is limited to 9 participants.  Please call to reserve your spot.  Multiple sessions will be provided upon need. We encourage all ages, families, and single people to participate.  It’s for everyone!

You do not need to be a scientist to participate.  These activities introduce the participant to a topic and show how it connects to the Niobrara River and instruction for an ongoing scientific research project.  These activities can be done in your own communities or places you travel.  Many of them are connected to NASA whose projects need millions of pieces of data to make them relevant.  Citizen Science is the collection and analysis of data relating to the natural world by members of the general public, typically as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists.

June Schedule:

June 19 – Globe at Night – It was a dark and moonless night…. when people from around the world go outside to evaluate the darkness of the sky in their area in this ongoing project.

June 26 – Creek Critters – Explore the tiny living things in the creek that indicate the water quality.