BioBlitz 2009 Friday, June 12th - Saturday, June 13th, 2009
5 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Crosby Farm Park (click here for map)
This year’s BioBlitz will take place in one of Minnesota’s five national parks—the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a 72 mile-long national park that stretches from Dayton to Hastings, running through the heart of the Twin Cities. The event, coordinated by the University of Minnesota Bell Museum of Natural History, is free and open to the public. Main check in for BioBlitz activities, except for the Padelford boat cruise, is at the Crosby Park fire pit. For more information or to volunteer contact Jennifer Menken at menke004@umn.edu.
Every year BioBlitz attracts hundreds of families and scientists from around the state who use sonar detectors, bug lights, live traps and laptops to count and chronicle an area’s floral and fauna. Volunteers of all ages work alongside biologists to collect plants and insects and live-trap animals, which are identified before being released back into the wild. Collection stations and inventory “leader boards” will be set up inside the Padelford which will be docked at Crosby Farm Park, the BioBliz base-camp.
This year’s BioBlitz will feature a Saturday morning birding cruise aboard the Padelford as it makes its way to dock at base-camp. The cruise leaves St. Paul’s Harriet Island at 8:30 a.m. and arrives at Crosby Farm Park two hours later. Tickets are $15 and shuttle service is included (click here registration info). The cruise is sponsored by the Padelford Packet Boat Company, National Park Service and Mississippi River Fund.
BioBlitz, which changes location each year, aims to increase the public’s awareness of an area’s biological diversity, offer a chance for the public to work with scientists, as well as provide an environmental benchmark for natural resources managers of Minnesota parks.
The event is co-sponsored by the National Park Service and Mississippi River Fund.
BioBlitz 2009 Schedule of Events
All events are free of change and open to the public until otherwise noted.
Friday
5 p.m. BioBlitz Kick Off
8:30 p.m. Night Creatures Ramble
9:30 p.m. Insect Survey*
Saturday
6 to 8 a.m. Bird Hike
8:30 to10 a.m. Bird Cruise/Bird Survey on the Jonathan Padelford. Tickets are $15; registration is required. Click here for ticket info.
8 to 11 a.m. Bird Banding
8 to 9 a.m. Mammal/”Herp” Survey*
9 to 10 a.m. Floodplain Forest Foray
10:30 a.m. Fun with Fish—Electro-fishing Demonstration*
10 to 11 a.m. Disappearing Waterfall Walk
11 a.m. to noon Mussel Madness
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aquatic Invertebrates Station
Noon to 1 p.m. Insect Sweeping
1 to 2 p.m. Dragonfly Challenge
* These programs include special activities for children involved in the National Park Service’s Junior Ranger program.
Previous BioBlitz locations and species counts:
2008 Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Jordan 748
2007 Warner Nature Center, Marine on the St. Croix 1128
2006 New Bell Museum Site, Falcon Heights 850
2005 Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Bloomington 989
2004 Tamarac Nature Center , White Beat Lake 750
BioBlitz 2009 is presented by:
Bell Museum of Natural History
Minnesota National Wildlife Refuge
University of Minnesota
Padleford Packet Boat Company
Minnesota Naturalist Association
Minnesota Native Plant Society
Minnesota Mycological Society
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WHAT IS THE MINNESOTA BIOBLITZ?
BioBlitz (bi-o-blits) n. 1. an intensive 24-hour survey to find all the plants and animals at a specific location. 2. a 24-hour survey where the public can help scientists find different plants and animals. 3. A neat place where you can catch, see and learn about cool bugs, spiders, mushrooms, worms, snakes, birds, flowers, bats, trees,...
Designed as part contest, part festival, part educational event, part scientific endeavor, the BioBlitz brings together scientists from across the state in a race against time. The goal is to count as many species of plants and animals they can in a 24-hour biological survey of a Minnesota natural area.
It's also a chance for you to hob-nob with state scientists to find out what they do, how they do it and what their work means to the health of our environment. Walks and demonstrations are held throughout the event.
WHY A BIOBLITZ?
Public Awareness : BioBlitz is designed to increase the public's awareness of the variety of life in their immediate neighborhood and the services these various species provide to improve the quality of their lives. We usually hear the word "biodiversity" in regard to rainforests with their vast number of species. Yet the diversity of life in our own backyards is phenomenal. We take for granted clean water, fertile soil, and air to breathe. Yet these are all the result of working ecosystems filled with species that perform these tasks.
Data Generation : The BioBlitz generates a list of species found at a chosen location, a first step in successful natural resource management. The BioBlitz has the potential to identify species that should be monitored or controlled. It may identify unique aspects of the area that might otherwise not have been known. This information along with recommendations from the scientists is supplied to the host site.
Previous Bioblitz’s:
2008 Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Rapids Lake-748
2007 Warner Nature Center, Marine on the St. Croix- 1128 species
2006 New Bell Museum Site - 850 species
2005 Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge - 989 species
2004 Tamarac Nature Center - 750 species (raining)
Presented by:
Bell Museum of Natural History
Minnesota National Wildlife Refuge
University of Minnesota
Padleford Packet Boat Company
Minnesota Naturalist Association
Minnesota Native Plant Society
Minnesota Mycological Society
Minnesota DNR
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
