Calling all naturalists, nature lovers and curious nature explorers — we need your help!
This fall, Prairie Ridge Ecostation will be working to assess the biodiversity of its site through a BioBlitz, a community-centered citizen science effort to document the biodiversity of a site within a short, specified time frame. BioBlitzes are a great way to get a snapshot of the biodiversity of a site, giving researchers and land stewards a better sense for what species live in and utilize the space at different times during the year.
This fall, the BioBlitz will be conducted October 4-8, 2022, during open hours (9am to 4pm). Come walk the trails, explore the garden, scour the edge of the pond and more, to help us document the diverse plants, animals and fungi that call Prairie Ridge home! As you explore and find organisms you’d like to document, use the iNaturalist app to submit your observations. Experts in the field will then help you ID what you saw, and Prairie Ridge staff will work on the back end to collate everyone’s observations! These can be observations of plants, insects, bird, mammals, fungi, etc. — anything goes!
These visits and explorations can be self-led at any time during our open hours. We recommend you come prepared for the weather, wear closed-toed shoes, and bring a water bottle.
Looking for more guided ways to participate in the BioBlitz? Consider these programs below:
Pond Exploration — October 4, 2–3pm
BioBlitz with iNaturalist — October 5, 10–11am
Bird Banding Demonstration — October 7, 8–10am
BioBlitz with iNaturalist — October 8, 10–11am
Moth-ing for the BioBlitz — October 8, 8–10pm