[MAIPC] Catoctin Mountain BioBlitz Event Friday October 16th to Sunday October 18th, 2015.

Tue Sep 22 22:09:31 PDT 2015

Today, Sally, Nick and I surveyed the nature walk bioblitz opportunities from where we will meet and greet at Camp Round Meadow at Catoctin Mountain National Park. We surveyed the Browns Farm Trail to Owens Creek. The first 0.2 miles was entirely overtaken by Japanese Stilt grass, Japanese Barberry, non-native wineberry and non-native beefsteak plant. We only found one native, a specimen of Jack in the Pulpit. 

The next 0.2 miles was just the opposite. We found very little invasives, just enough Japanese Stilt grass and Japanese barberry that they could be removed by staff and volunteers someday. We found about 30 native species of flowers, ferns, etc. So the Friday bioblitz from 5-6:30, Saturday from 7 am-8:30 am and Sunday from 9:15 am -11:45 am will take the full 1.5 hours in order to have time to see native plants and birds and butterflies dependent on the native plants. Early Sunday morning should then be from 7-8:30 am. This native plant area includes three excellent opportunities, a nice upland slope area about 200 feet on the right,  a rocky wet area about 200 feet on the left as well as along the forest trail. Because of the current excellent deer control this area may now be safe from a massive infestation of Japanese Stilt grass. The  next 0. 1 mile on Browns Farm Trail goes downhill to Owens Creek and guess what, the invasive species suddenly return in abundance.  

The Saturday hike from 1:45-4 pm will be perfect to have time to find many species of bats, frogs, butterflies, pathogens, mushrooms, bats, ferns, flowers, mammals, birds, and snails macro-invertebrates etc. .

Marc.

From: Marc Imlay [mailto:ialm at erols.com] 
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2015 11:09 AM

Hi Naturalists,

On Friday the bioblitz is from 5 pm- 6:30 pm which is a good time for birds, of course. Dinner is at 6:30. You are welcome to register and stay overnight. The bioblitz on Saturday is 7 am – 8:30 am and at 1:45-4 pm. Sunday is 7-8 am and 9:15 am -11:45 am when lunch is served. 

Also you are welcome to attend the lands workshop on Saturday from 11 am-12:30 pm which will include invasive species update, deer control update and open space update. 

Marc

The Jamboree is the Maryland Sierra Club's biennial gathering. It's a great chance to get involved in our campaigns to protect our air, water, and natural places, and to meet your fellow Sierrans. Hear from amazing keynote speakers, participate in grassroots organizing training, and enjoy the outdoors on one of our guided nature hikes in Maryland's treasured Catoctin Mountain National Park.  <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/Ticketing/1110268681;jsessionid=20370FC8235804CB6C3C59DECC636E05.app201a?view=Tickets&id=178041> Join us for this fun-filled weekend with live music, environmental workshops, and great people!

Highlights & Features

*	Workshops on energy resources, waste, land use including invasive species and deer control, agriculture and clean water
*	Guided nature hikes with experts
*	Educational workshops
*	Campfire, live music, and games
*	Grassroots organizing trainings
*	Auctions to benefit the MD Sierra Club
*	.... and much more!

Hi Nature Lovers,

Would you like to help enjoy the Catoctin Mountain National Park MD  bioblitz at the Sierra Club Jamboree and experience bats, frogs, butterflies, pathogens, mushrooms, bats, ferns, flowers, mammals, birds, and snails all together.  How about that!  You are welcome to participate in the bioblitz during the Maryland Chapter Sierra Club 2015 Jamboree, Friday October 16th to Sunday October 18th, 2015.  There is a great reduction in deer density. 20/square mile is a natural level. 35/square mile is excellent work by the Catoctin Mountain National Park staff.  Could you forward this announcement to potential participants.

We are seeking all folks who know some of the plants, animals, and fungi to share their findings on the bioblitz with everone that participates. Please respond if you can participate on any day at any time, including early morning and late evening. 

 Bioblitzes were first started by Kenilworth Gardens in Maryland. A bioblitz is a biological tour of a natural area during which people who can identify some of the plants or animals (or fungi) share their knowledge with hikers as well as each other as they come across the critters. The information is also used for scientific and conservation purposes.    

BioBlitz, (from Wikipedia) is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Groups of scientists, naturalists and volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a short period of time.  

Special features

Enjoyment. Instead of a highly structured and measured field survey, this sort of event has the atmosphere of a festival. The short time frame makes the searching more exciting.

Local. The concept of biodiversity tends to be associated with coral reefs or tropical rain forests. A BioBlitz offers the chance for people to visit a nearby setting and see that local parks also have biodiversity and are important to conserve.

Science. These one-day events gather basic taxonomic information on some groups of species.

Meet the Scientists. A BioBlitz encourages people to meet working scientists and ask them questions.

Identifying Rare and Unique Species/Groups. When volunteers and scientists work together, they are able to identify uncommon or special habitats for protection and management, and in some cases rare species may be uncovered.

Documenting Species Occurrence. BioBlitzes do not provide a complete species inventory for a site, but they provide a species list which makes a basis for a more complete inventory and will often show what area, or what taxon would benefit from a further study. 

 Marc Imlay, PhD 

Conservation biologist, MNCPPC, 3014425657 

Board member of the Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council, 

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