This year the City Nature Challenge has snuck up on me a bit!!! Apologies that I've not been pestering people more -- that's about to change. :)
From Friday April 26 through Monday April 29, any and all observations made on these four days from the 10 counties that make up DFW (Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, and Wise) and uploaded before May 6th will count towards the DFW City Nature Challenge. No extra steps, no projects that you have to join, nothing -- it's automatic!
The most valuable observations are made in public parks (these tend to be meaningful for the public land management, highlighting the constituency of naturalists that use that park for nature, and incentivizing the city to acquire more open space), but observations anywhere (even in your yard!) will count!
Here are some of the events going on (that I know of -- if you know of others, please let me know!):
April 26 - 7 PM blacklighting at Mockingbird Nature Park in Midlothian
April 27 - 9 AM at Trinity River Audubon Center
April 27 - 10 AM at Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve in Arlington
April 27 - 10 AM Walsh Ranch Pocket Prairie Bioblitz in Parker County
April 27 - Bioblitz and blacklighting at Frisco Grand Park
These events won't really have much of a 'program' -- they're just gathering locations to get together with other naturalists and observe like crazy. :)
Most importantly, I hope you spend some time outside engaging with nature. That's what this event is all about -- engaging with the nature around us. Hope you're able to do just that! Tell your friends too!!! :)
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know!
Sam Kieschnick
TPWD Urban Wildlife Biologist, DFW
sam.kieschnick@tpwd.texas.gov
214 215 5605
