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Exploring the San Lorenzo River Series: BioBlitz
April 22, 2017 @ 8:30 am - 10:30 am
FREE
A BioBlitz is a period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Groups of scientists, naturalists and volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a continuous time period. To encourage more public participation, BioBlitzes are often held in urban parks or nature reserves close to cities, just like the Santa Cruz Riverwalk.
On Earth Day 2017, you’re invited to join the Coastal Watershed Council and Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for the first-ever BioBlitz along the San Lorenzo River. This is the culminating event of the 2017 Exploring the San Lorenzo River Series. Join us in San Lorenzo Park on April 22 from 8:30 to 10:30. We will be meeting on the Riverwalk behind the County Courthouse.
Have we piqued your interest? Dive into this video from National Geographic and the National Parks Service to learn more about how they partnered to use BioBlitzes to help people to connect to the biodiversity of our national parks.
- Create an account: you can create an account on a computer HERE, or download the app onto your mobile device and then create an account. You will need to enter some basic information and create log in credentials.
- Make an observation! It would be great to practice* making observations before the bioblitz. On your mobile device, it is best to enable location services so that photos have a geo-location. You can take a photo directly in the app, or upload photos from your photo library. If you do not have location associated with the photo, you can use the app to place a “pin” on the map. Similarly, you can upload photos from a camera using your computer.
- Identify your organism. When you make an observation, it is best to try and identify what you are looking at. There are field guides in the app to help you–fill out as much as you can. If you do not know what you are looking at, you can indicate that you need help identifying! It is helpful to narrow it down as much as possible–at least “plant” or “bird”, rather than a total unknown. Experts will go through to help you!
- Join the bioblitz. Search for “Earth Day BioBlitz 2017” in projects near you and join! You will get updates leading up to the blitz.
RSVP today to learn more about the first-ever San Lorenzo River BioBlitz!