Huron Bioblitz! June 7, 2014
We were so pleased to work with Ontario Nature to run the first ever Huron Bioblitz. There is a significant knowledge gap about the presence and number of reptiles and amphibians in Huron County. Our efforts with the Bioblitz will help fill those gaps, inform the management of the county tracts, and hopefully contribute to their long-term conservation.
On Saturday, June 7th, 45 participants and 15 organizers and volunteers worked together to inventory reptiles and amphibians in two Huron County woodlots. Some travelled from as far as Sarnia, London, Guelph, Toronto, Vineland, St. Mary’s, Kincardine, and Gadshill (Perth County)to join in the effort. Overall the teams tallied 189 animals, including two rare species: the Milksnake and Ribbon Snake (both are species of Special Concern).
All of the data will be submitted to the Ontario Nature Reptile and Amphibian Atlas. We encourage everyone to continue to submit observations of reptiles and amphibians in Huron County – those found on the road, at your cottage, on a hike, or in your backyard. The website and app are so easy to use! And if you have any questions about how to submit observations, the helpful staff at Ontario Nature can give you advice.
By all accounts the event was a huge success. We received lots of positive feedback from participants about how much they learned, how much fun was had, and that folks will continue submitting sightings to the Ontario Nature Atlas.
Thanks once again to all the participants and volunteers who made this event so fantastic!
The study sites were of two County-owned properties – the Redmond and Rodgers Tract. There are beautiful hiking trails throughout both woodlots, and I encourage everyone to check them out!
Map to the County Tracts:
Click here for the schedule of the day
Join us on June 7th, 2014 for the first Huron Bioblitz!
What is a Bioblitz? An educational event, social gathering, and citizen-science endeavor. Volunteers learn from experts how to identify the local flora and fauna, and will work together to find as many species as possible in a given time period.
Our Bioblitz: We will be focusing on doing an inventory of herptiles (reptiles and amphibians) at specific locations in Huron County. We will meet at Wawanosh Nature Centre (38854 Nature Centre Rd, North Huron – map below), and from there groups of volunteers will embark on surveys at the Saratoga Swamp, and a county woodland tract. Although we’ll mostly be looking for reptiles and amphibians, all information is welcome! Please join us if you have other interests or specialties.
If you would like to volunteer or plan to participate, please contact Rachel White at 519-524-8394 ext. 3286 or huronstewardship@gmail.com
Bioblitz date: June 7th
10 am—4 pm (field inventories of all herptile species)
6 pm—8 pm (frog calling)
What to bring:
- Please bring your own lunch and snacks
- Sunscreen, bug repellent, and a hat
- Good walking boots, and long pants to protect against poison ivy
- You may like to bring your own clipboard, and/or field guides
- Cameras and GPS units will be useful (but not required)
- Potable water and washrooms will be available at the base camp
Registration: participants must register at Wawanosh between 10 am and 2 pm on Saturday June 7th. Upon registration you will receive instructions, directions, and maps, as well as the tally sheets to list species observed.
Purpose: There is a general lack of information about reptiles and amphibians in Huron County. We can contribute to the conservation of these cold-blooded critters by learning more about where they live and the size of their populations. The information gathered can also be used to inform future management plans for these properties.
Learn more and spread the word: Whether you are an expert or novice, come join us. Ontario’s reptiles and amphibians are becoming increasingly rare; you can help make a difference! We look forward to this event, and we hope you do too. Please share this information with anyone you know who might be interested.
Click here to view a poster for the event.
Location of home base: Wawanosh Nature Centre
