Above, The City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a citizen-science initiative throughout the month called the bioblitz as part of the National Recreation & Parks Association’s “Parks for Pollinators.” Photo courtesy of the City of San Marcos. Below, a Zebra Longwing butterfly sits on top of a flower. Daily Record photo by Lance Winter
September marks bioblitz month in San Marcos
The City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a citizen-science initiative throughout the September called the bioblitz as part of the National Recreation & Parks Association’s “Parks for Pollinators.”
The city said a bioblitz aims to crowdsource a large amount of species data — observed plants, animals, fungi, etc. — from a specific area in a short amount of time. The entire city of San Marcos will be the study site and the observations can be documented completely online. All residing or passing through San Marcos are invited to participate through the iNaturalist app on their smart phones and devices.
“This bioblitz presents a fun, interactive, educational opportunity and can be totally virtual which we think is really relevant right now,” said Conrad Chappell, Discovery Center Specialist. “Check out our project page to follow our progress live or find a teaching guide for maximizing this science adventure for in-person, virtual, or homeschool classrooms.”
Participants may document their scientific observations from any accessible area in the City, including backyards, neighborhoods, and natural areas.
For more information, visit the https://www.sanmarcostx.gov/3235/iNaturalist-Bioblitzor or contact Conrad Chappell, Discovery Center Specialist, at cchappell@sanmarcostx.gov.
