The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is hosting a 24-hour “BioBlitz” in celebration of National Wildlife Refuge Week. The Fremont, CA event, running from 3pm Oct. 20 to 3pm Oct. 21, 2011 offers participants a fun way to record as many organisms in as many taxonomic groups as possible in 24 hours. The data gathered will give land managers and biologists a snapshot of the species that exist on the wildlife refuge, and help them make informed decisions about species protection and habitat restoration. The event has other goals, as well—such as getting people excited about science, promoting appreciation of the incredible species diversity in the San Francisco Bay Area, and encouraging recreation in nature as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Participants can show up at the refuge between 3 p.m. Saturday and closing, and between 6:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, pick up a data sheet, and head out on the trails to record every species they see. There is also the opportunity to upload photos and findings onto iNaturalist.org and compare data with others. You don’t have to be an expert biologist, scientist, or naturalist in order to participate. Expert-led hikes and programs are also available to the public for free throughout the event. Programs include plant and bird walks, songbird banding demonstrations, fish and macro-invertebrate samplings, reptile surveys, and more. These will be led by local area experts that include: California Native Plant Society, Northern California Bats (NorCal Bats), Ohlone Audubon Society, Sulphur Creek Nature Center, University of California, Davis, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , and U.S. Geological Survey.

If you would like to participate, log on to the refuge’s web site at http://www.fws.gov/desfbay for a complete schedule. You can also stop by the Visitor Center at 2 Marshlands Rd, Fremont, CA 94555 or the Environmental Education Center at 1751 Grand Blvd, Alviso CA 95002 to pick one up. less ↑