For 24 hours in September 2007 — beginning at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, and ending at 6 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30 — local families will join scientists and natural historians to inventory animal and plant life at Mason Farm Biological Reserve, part of the North Carolina Botanical Garden at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The inventory, called a BioBlitz, will allow researchers to assess the biodiversity of the reserve. The BioBlitz is a joint project of the Botanical Garden and UNC’s Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. Participation is free.
The 24-hour span is divided into smaller segments of time, so participants can register for one or several segments of the BioBlitz. Teams of participants will work with scientists to collect data about the living organisms that live in the reserve. They will learn to use professional research tools and techniques as they identify and count the species they find.
In most cases, a team will look for a specific type of organism at a specific time of day. For example, the Birds team will be in the field from 6 to 8 a.m.; the Caterpillars team from 1 to 3:30 p.m.; and the Bats & Small Mammals team from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The 19 teams will receive assignments ranging from Butterflies & Dragonflies to Stream Organisms.
The 24-Hour BioBlitz is a fun learning experience for “citizen scientists” of all ages. Children who are age 7 and older may participate on a BioBlitz team, and they must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver at all times. Younger children and their families may participate in a Habitat Walk (at 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 29) or special activities in the Junior Naturalist Corner.
Participants should register for the 24-Hour BioBlitz in advance. A schedule of teams and times, along with registration information, is available on the planetarium Web site (www.moreheadplanetarium.org). Participants may also e-mail bioblitz@unc.edu for more information.
Support for the 24-Hour BioBlitz was provided by the Strowd Roses Foundation.
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Morehead Planetarium and Science Center contact: Karen Kornegay, (919) 843-7952 or kck@unc.edu
N.C. Botanical Garden contact: Laura Cotterman, (919) 962-0522 or lmcotter@email.unc.edu
News Services contact: Susan Houston, (919) 962-8415 or susan_houston@unc.edu