MAY 19, 2016 // 9
BIOBLITZ
OFFERS
TWO
DAYS
OF
DISCOVERY
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Help identify diferent species of butterlies, dragonlies and
pollinators and celebrate biodiversity at BioBlitz on May 20
and 21 at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
At Netul Landing, help park rangers and scientists document and celebrate biodiversity May 20 and 21.
All ages invited to join park rangers,
scientists for national biodiversity event
ASTORIA — Lewis and
Clark National Historical
Park needs you to help dis-
cover living organisms at a
BioBlitz quest and Biodiver-
sity Festival on Friday and
Saturday, May 20 and 21.
Volunteers of all ages are
invited to join park rangers
and scientists as part of a na-
tional effort to document and
celebrate biodiversity in na-
tional parks. Lewis and Clark
National Historical Park is
one of 34 national sites in the
Paciic West Region partici-
pating in the event.
At BioBlitz, participants
will explore and help keep
an inventory of pollinators,
plants and more at the park.
Attendees will identify and
count plant and animal spe-
cies using apps such iNatu-
ralist, Bumble Bee Watch,
Project Budburst and eBird.
Visitors are welcome to bring
their own technology or use
a limited number of park
devices.
Sign up is required to
participate in scientist-led
species inventories. Lim-
ited spots are available at
Eventbrite to get on an inven-
tory team led by an expert.
National parks are living
laboratories for scientiic
investigations that continue
to advance our understanding
of nature. Parks often serve
as indicators of the health of
the world’s ecosystems, and
they are places to explore
the natural world. You never
know what’s hiding under a
rock or beneath a fern.
Leading up to the two
days of BioBlitz activities is
a Thursday, May 19 Nature
Matters presentation by Rich
Hatield titled “The Iconic
Bumble Bee: The Decline
of Our Native Pollinators.”
Hatield, a senior conserva-
tion biologist with the Xerces
Society, describes the work
being done to help conserve
these pollinators and what
you can do to help. The free
event takes place at 7 p.m.
at the Fort George Lovell
Showroom.
The next night, Friday,
May 20, learn about moths
and night pollinators from 8
to 10 p.m. at the Netul Land-
ing Shelter. Attend a presen-
tation and moth inventory
led by local experts, where
you’ll learn how to entice
and identify these exciting
night-time pollinators. Sign-
up is not required.
Saturday morning, local
biologist and educator Mike
Patterson will offer a Sunrise
Big Day Bird Count from 6
to 9 a.m. While Paterson is
best known for his work with
birds, he also possesses ex-
tensive knowledge of inver-
tebrates and other organisms
and has a keen interest in the
interconnections of living
things. After a brief discus-
sion and gathering, divide
into smaller teams and set
out looking for birds along
the Lewis and Clark River.
Dress for the weather with
closed-toed shoes, and bring
water, snacks and binoculars.
The count is wheelchair ac-
cessible. No pets are allowed.
Sign up now at Eventbrite
or just show up at Netul
Landing.
Species inventories events
are planned for Saturday,
including multiple inven-
tories for you to participate
in and become a citizen
scientist. Join experts and
learn to identify butterlies,
dragonlies and pollinators.
Then share your indings
with the world via iNatural-
ist. Dress for rain or shine,
wear closed-toed shoes,
and bring sunscreen, insect
repellent, water, snack
and/or lunch, and your
smartphone. No pets are
allowed. Preregistration is re-
quired; sign up at Eventbrite
for the following sessions;
only about 12 slots are avail-
able for each session:
• 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
– “Pollinator Inventories”
led by Patterson, biologist
and educator.
• 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
– “Dragonly Inventory” led
by Jim Johnson, a dragon-
ly expert and enthusiast who
serves on the Dragonly Soci-
ety of the Americas executive
council.
• 11:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. – “Butterly Inventory”
led by Candace Fallon, a
conservation biologist at the
Xerces Society, where she
works to better understand
and protect invertebrates and
their habitats.
• 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
– “Butterly Inventory” led
by Robert Pyle, a butterly
ecologist and founder of the
Xerces Society. Pyle has
a Ph.D in butterly ecology
and has been involved in but-
terly science and conserva-
tion for more than 50 years.
• 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. –
“Butterly Inventory” led by
Fallon.
• 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. –
“Butterly Inventory” led by
Pyle.
A Biodiversity Festival
is also taking place from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday,
featuring a slate of activities
and talks at Science Central,
the park’s Netul Landing
complex. The schedule is as
follows:
• 10 to 10:30 a.m. – The
day will begin with “Why
Biodiversity?” by keynote
speaker Jerry Freilich, who
is the retired director of
the North Coast & North
Cascades Science Learning
Network.
• 11 to 11:30 a.m. –
“Dragonlies of Clatsop
County” by Johnson
• Noon to 12:30 p.m. –
“Biodiversity Begins with a
Bee” by Jerry Freilich.
• 1 to 1:30 p.m. – “But-
terlies of the Maritime” by
Pyle and Fallon.
• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Cul-
tural Demonstration by the
Chinook Indian Nation. Meet
artist and carver Tony John-
son, the current chair of the
Chinook Indian Nation and
a scholar of language and
culture. Johnson acquired
Chinuk Wawa as a second
language and wood work-
ing skills from his elders.
He is now teaching the next
generation.
• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. –
KidZone calling all kids:
Join park ranger staff and
volunteers for a little creativ-
ity and nature-inspired crafts
or just have your face painted
with favorite bird, inverte-
brate or plant.
• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Other
fun: Help upload indings to
iNaturalist. Check out what
is happening at the other
Bioblitz activities across
the nation on the big screen.
Look at some of the day’s
indings under microscopes.
Chat with experts and learn
more about the environment
around us.
• 2:30 to 3 p.m. – Thank
You from Lewis and Clark
National Historical Park Su-
perintendent Scott Tucker.
All events will take place
at the park’s Netul Landing
Complex and are free.
Preregistration informa-
tion and the Saturday sched-
ule is available at the park’s
website, www.nps.gov/lewi
and Facebook Page, or can
be picked up at the Fort Clat-
sop Visitor Center front desk.
For more information, call
the park at 503-861-2471.