Fall Socially Distant BioBlitz - DFW Urban Ecosystem 2021's Journal

Hey all!

Last year, we had a trial run of a "socially distant bioblitz" on the first full week of September.
The main question was "what area of the DFW metroplex has the most species and most participation with most observation?" Well, we saw that each area has loads of interest, great observations, and some really unique finds! If you'd like to read up on the results, here's the long post..

Since we've done it last year, now we have a year to compare. What all will we see this year?

This project is broken up into the 6 areas of DFW, and each of these areas is served by a Texas Master Naturalist chapter. If you observe in any of these areas, those observations are automatically added in that specific project. Here are the projects:

Collin and Hunt Counties, the Blackland Prairie Master Naturalist chapter
Parker and Tarrant Counties, the Cross Timbers Master Naturalist chapter
Cooke, Denton, and Wise Counties, the Elm Fork Master Naturalist chapter
Ellis and Navarro Counties, the Indian Trail Master Naturalist chapter
Dallas, Kaufman, and Rockwall Counties, the North Texas Master Naturalist chapter
Hood, Johnson, and Somervell Counties, the Rio Brazos Master Naturalist chapter

You DON'T have to join any project, nor this one, the umbrella project, for your observations to count.

Just make observations from September 5 - 11 in one (or several!) of these areas, and the projects automatically grab them. No other steps needed!

Also, each day there will be a challenge with a sub-challenge. These can be pretty challenging, so try your best to get as many as you can! What's your reward? Sam's respect. And that's worth its weight in gold! I'll put the challenges on a journal post in this project on September 1.

Most of all, we'll be using these results, especially the observations made in public areas like parks, to guide land management. It's a powerful thing when we talk to a park manager or a city council and show them not just the biodiversity that exists in the area, but also the constituency of naturalists that actively seek out this biodiversity! So yes, we need you!

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me!
Sam Kieschnick @sambiology
Urban Wildlife Biologist, DFW, Texas Parks and Wildlife
sam.kieschnick@tpwd.texas.gov
214-215-5605 (c)

Updating as I get more...

Do I have to join any of these projects for my observations to count?
Nope! If you're in one of the areas, and you make an observation during September 5 - 11, the projects automatically grab the observation.

Do I have to be a Texas Master Naturalist to participate?
Nope! Any and all are welcome to participate! I hope that many Texas Master Naturalists do participate as well, and hopefully if you make observations, these volunteer naturalists will help with the ID's.

When do observations have to be uploaded?
So, I'd really like observations to be uploaded as soon as possible... I'll try to get results to folks by the next week Wednesday (Sep 15), so please try your best to get them uploaded as soon as possible.

Does this count for Master Naturalist Volunteer Hours? If so, what counts?
This is something to check back with your volunteer hours approver, but if it were up to me, and how it is in several chapters, all the time spent out in the field making observations, all the time in front of the computer editing observations, and all the time spent identifying observations or commenting on observations should count for Volunteer Hours. Double check with your Master Naturalist chapter board though!

What if I am a master naturalist in one chapter, but I make observations in counties served by another chapter? Do I count them for my home chapter or what?
You're a good neighbor! When you make observations in another county that's served by another chapter of the master naturalists, you're adding to their project. That's ok!

Do native plants that are planted in my own landscaping count?
Plants that you specifically planted in your yard/area that you still maintain to some degree do not count. This project is all about observing the wild organisms around DFW. If you do observe a cultivated plant (even if it's a regionally native one), make sure to mark it as cultivated or 'not wild.' Now, the pollinators or bugs that come to your cultivated plants, those are still wild and ideal for this project!

What do we win?
So much respect. Like a ton of respect. Bragging rights? Pride in knowing you're doing good? I can write "IOU's" too.