May 20, 2010
Media alert: Arboretum BioBlitz 2010 starts Friday, teams reveal findings Saturday at public open house
WHAT: Seattle’s first-ever bioblitz gets underway Friday afternoon with volunteers looking for as many birds, plants, lichens, amphibians and other species as possible in the Washington Park Arboretum during a 24-hour period. As of Thursday, more than 50 volunteers had signed up.
SPONSORS: University of Washington Botanic Gardens and the UW-based NatureMapping program, with funding from the Washington Park Arboretum Foundation
WHEN: Three-hour shifts run Friday, 3 p.m. to midnight, and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.
PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE: Results announced, specimens on display: Saturday, 1-3 p.m.
WHERE: Graham Visitor Center, http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/docs/ArboretumMap.jpg
VOLUNTEERS STILL SOUGHT: Sign up: http://depts.washington.edu/natmap/bioblitz/wpa/. During the event, people who didn’t sign up in advance can volunteer and will be assigned to teams so long as spots are available.
DETAILS: Bioblitzes are conducted by scientists and volunteers, usually during an intense 24-hour period, in order to record as many species as possible in a given area. Volunteers will converge first on the wilder areas of the arboretum: Foster Island, Duck Bay and Arboretum Creek. The arboretum includes trees and plants from around the world, all of which have been cataloged so that work won’t be repeated. Instead, the kinds of plants being identified will include weeds, native plants and invasives. Insects, fish, birds and other animals also will be surveyed.
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For more information:
Sarah Reichard, UW associate professor of forest resources, 206-616-5020, reichard@u.washington.edu
Karen Dvornich, UW forest resources staff member, 206-616-2031, vicon@u.washington.edu
