By: Peggy Tolboom
Meeting Texas Master Naturalists from all over the state and getting new ideas for possible outreaches are what I look forward to at the Annual Meeting. This year I came back inspired to conduct a bioblitz at the Stephenville City Park in the spring.
One of the programs I went to was about iNaturalist. I wanted to learn how to set up a project. I learned how to mark off my property. So my observations on my property would automatically be added to my project.
Sam Kieschnick , urban wildlife biologist, also encouraged us to make iNaturalist observations in our hometowns. So when he goes before our local governments to make presentations about setting up native projects, he could show them all the native species living there.
You may have noticed that the Nature Center looked a bit overgrown toward the end of summer. While it did get a little wild, it was also home to beautiful wildflowers in the spring—a natural cycle that keeps the area thriving.
Providing education will help our relationship with our hosts, Parks and Recreation. In addition, there are many people who use the Bosque River Trail. By educating them we could increase our support base. A bioblitz is one of the tools available to us.
A bioblitz is an effort to record as many species as possible within a designated space and period of time. Sounds simple enough, taking photos and entering them into iNaturalist. However there are organizational steps for it to be successful.
Step one will be approval by our board. Step two is educating ourselves on making good observations. Some chapter members have also had training and experience in iNaturalist: Jan Rogers, Gordon L, Seth H. Please let me know if I can add you to list. and put iNaturalist on your phone. Call me if you need help getting started. equest@dairysolutionsinc.com.
Some iNaturalist happenings in our Prairie Oaks Chapter
The whole of the Bosque River Nature Center is a project. Any observations made by any individual will be added to the project. So far, there are 218 observations by 56 observers.
The Spring Training class has an iNaturalist folder where class members can post their observations.
Upcoming Bio Blitz In April! At a Wildlife Management Area near us! Being organized by one of our advisors, Devin Erxleben, TPWD.