EcoQuest May 2020
Have you noticed a strong, musky, unpleasant odor while taking your daily walk? Have you wondered, what is that awful smell? Meet purple mustard, Chorispora tenella, an invasive plant from Europe and Asia. This plant is easily distinguished by its 4, cross-shaped, purple petals. Follow your nose and see if you can find this smelly mustard.
Help DBG document the abundance and distribution of purple mustard by photographing as many plants as possible by May 31st. For large populations, only photograph one plant every 50 feet to show the extent of coverage. Your findings will show up on the May EcoQuest iNaturalist project as well as the Denver EcoFlora Project.
WHAT IS AN ECOQUEST?
EcoQuests, part of the Denver EcoFlora project, challenge citizens to become citizen scientists and observe, study, and conserve the native plants of the City via iNaturalist, an easy-to-use mobile app.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
- Download the iNaturalist app or register online at iNaturalist.org
- Take photos of the plants in bloom that you find on your daily neighborhood walk. It is ok if they are weeds! But avoid taking photos of cultivated plants in gardens or in your home.
- If you are concerned about revealing the location of sensitive organisms or observations at your own house, you can hide the exact location from the public by changing the "geoprivacy" of the observation to "obscured."
- Post your findings on iNaturalist via the app
- Your observations will automatically be added to the Denver EcoFlora Project
- You can add an identification to your photo when you post your findings on iNaturalist, or leave it blank for others to identify.
HOW DO I PARTICIPATE GIVEN COVID-19?
As a participant, it is up to you how much or how little you take part. Please stay close to home and maintain a social distance of 6 ft. from people. Wear a cloth mask in public areas. Respect closures and avoid places of high use. Do only what feels safe for you and your family and is in accordance with your local regulations.
WHAT IS THE GOAL?
The EcoFlora project is designed to meaningfully connect citizens with biodiversity, and to assemble novel observations and data on the metro area’s flora to better inform policy decisions and conservation strategies.
