Seeking St. Croix Citizen Scientists: Search for Plants and Animals at BioBlitz

Twenty-four-hour event from May 20 to 21 will attempt to find and identify numerous species.

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Via the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway:

Park staff and visiting experts lead walk at the 2015 BioBlitz
Park staff and visiting experts lead walk at the 2015 BioBlitz (NPS photo)

Join scientists and other experts in a 24-hour search for the plants and animals that call the St. Croix River Valley home. The St. Croix Bioblitz will be held May 20 – 21, 2016 at the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, Minnesota Interstate State Park, and Wisconsin Interstate State Park.

So what is a Bioblitz? Biologists lead an intensive survey to count as many species as possible in a particular area within a set time frame. This “snapshot” of information helps scientists and park managers understand the river and the surrounding environment and what species make the St. Croix Valley their home.

The public is invited to join this quest to discover and document biodiversity by participating in over 40 activities, including surveys and presentations. The St. Croix Bioblitz will include experts on plants, mammals, birds, mussels, amphibians, fish, insects, and many other animals, including those active at night. There will be a variety of opportunities to assist in catching and identifying species.

Activities begin at noon on Friday, May 20 and will conclude at noon on Saturday, May 21. A full schedule is available at: https://www.nps.gov/sacn/learn/nature/bioblitz.htm.

Friday Surveys include:

  • Noon – Trees & Mammal Tracks
  • 1:00 pm – Birds, Plants, Bees
  • 2:00 pm – Mussels, Trees, Bees, & Plants
  • 3:00 pm – Mussels, Plants, Aquatic Invertebrates, Dragonflies
  • 8:00 pm – Frogs, Bats
  • 8:30 pm – Nocturnal Birds

Saturday Surveys include:

  • 6:00 am – Birds
  • 9:00 am – Plants
  • 10:00 am – Wildflowers, Pollinators
  • 10:30 am – Aquatic Invertebrates
  • 11:00 am – Aquatic Plants & Invertebrates, Dragonflies

Friday Presentations:

  • Noon – Opening Ceremony
  • 1:00 pm – Bird Talk
  • 2:00 pm – Plant Talk
  • 3:00 pm – Mussel Talk
  • 4:00 pm – Mussel Talk, Reptiles & Amphibian Talk
  • 6:30 pm – eBird Talk

Saturday Presentations:

  • 9:00 am – Mussel Talk
  • 10:00 am – Mammal Talk, Fish Talk, Dragonfly Talk
  • 11:00 am – Fish Talk
  • Noon – Closing Ceremony

The Bioblitz is free but entrance fees to the state parks are required. A free shuttle will run between the Minnesota and Wisconsin Interstate State Parks during the event.

The St. Croix Bioblitz is organized and supported by: the National Park Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the St. Croix River Association, the School of Environmental Studies, the Minnesota Alliance of Geographic Education, the Wisconsin Geographic Alliance, and Eastern National.

In celebration of the centennial of the National Park Service, the St. Croix Bioblitz is part of the National Parks Bioblitz, a nationwide celebration of biodiversity that includes Bioblitzes of different sizes and scopes occurring in a hundred different parks across the country.

For additional information, go to http://www.nps.gov/sacn/learn/nature/bioblitz.htm or call (715) 483-2274.


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Seeking St. Croix Citizen Scientists: Search for Plants and Animals at BioBlitz