Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is joining North Carolina State Parks and other conservation agencies to survey the unique ecology on the mountain, with park guests invited to take part in a special day of programming that will run alongside the BioBlitz this Saturday, June 17 (included in park admission).
A BioBlitz is a communal citizen-science project to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible, typically an intensive 24-hour stretch.
Grandfather is serving as the central hub and meeting place for this particular joint effort. Behind the scenes, taxonomic experts from the various agencies will be conducting their biological surveying — based on their specific expertise — by going out on park trails and using various techniques (such as moth traps that use lights to attract those insects or kick nets to observe aquatic macroinvertebrates) as part of the identification process.
It will then take a few months for the results to come back.
“The aim of the BioBlitz is for us to better know of the different species found here in our nature preserve and on Grandfather Mountain State Park property,” said John Caveny, director of conservation and education for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “It will be a day focused on biodiversity that gives our visitors a look at science in action and hopefully opens their eyes to the sheer number of flora and fauna we’re fortunate to have call this mountain home.”
Activities for the day kick off at 11 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. Guests can join for one event or all. The full schedule is below.
- 11 a.m.: Community Science Weather led by GMSF staff (Location: Pollinator Garden | Lasting 10 minutes)
- 11 a.m.: Random Acts of Science interpretive table led by GMSF staff (Location: Inside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery | Lasting 30-45 minutes)
- 11:30 a.m.: Junior Naturalist Program (geared toward kids) led by GMSF staff (Location: Pollinator Garden | Lasting 30 minutes)
- 12 p.m.: Random Acts of Science interpretive table led by GMSF staff (Location: Inside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery | Lasting 30-45 minutes)
- 12:30 p.m.: Sweep-Netting Bug Safari led by North Carolina Biodiversity Project staff (Location: Pollinator Garden | Lasting 30-45 minutes)
- 1 p.m.: Ramble With a Naturalist led by GMSF staff (Location: Around the Conservation Campus | Lasting 20-40 minutes)
- 1 – 3 p.m.: Two different interpretive tables led by North Carolina Biodiversity Project staff will be stationed in high-traffic areas around the Conservation Campus.
- 2 p.m.: Random Acts of Science interpretive table led by GMSF staff (Location: Inside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery | Lasting 30-45 minutes)
- 2 p.m.: Animal Encounter with an ambassador animal led by GMSF staff (Location: Outside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery | Lasting 30 minutes)
- 1:30 p.m.: Wildflower / Plant Walk led by a volunteer expert (Location: Woods Walk Trail, a 0.4-mile loop trail that is located about a third of a mile from the Grandfather Entrance Gate | Lasting 30-45 minutes)
- 3 p.m.: Lichen / Bryophytes Walk led by a volunteer expert (Location: Black Rock Trail, located at the Hiker Parking Area below the Mile High Swinging Bridge | Lasting 30-45 minutes)
Grandfather Mountain was designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1992, with 16 distinct ecological communities and 73 rare or endangered species. To encounter the same breadth of biodiversity that exists on Grandfather, one would have to travel the length of the East Coast from Georgia to Maine.
To learn more about Grandfather Mountain’s BioBlitz event, visit www.grandfather.com/event/bioblitz.
The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com.
Photo: Pink-shell Azalea_Photo by Skip Sickler_Courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation
