First Ever Bio Blitz at George Poston Park – Saturday, June 26th
A Bio Blitz is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area.
So, what does that mean?
We are looking to get an accurate count of what lives in George Poston Park. Any living thing from trees, birds, insects, spiders, turtles, fish, or plants would count towards our census of George Poston Park. George Poston Park has been declared an ecoExplore HotSpot by the NC Arboretum, which means that plenty of different species lives in the park. Our goal is to figure out what lives there.
FREE app iNaturalist
We will be using a FREE app called iNaturalist to help us identify each observation. When someone comes to the Bio Blitz, they will take a picture of what they see (flower, plant, insect, etc.). The picture will be uploaded to our project entitled Gaston County Parks & Rec Bio Blitz. Scientists all over the world will be able to see the picture that was just uploaded and they will make suggestions on the identity of the species. This means that you don’t have to be a scientist to take part in this project. The fun is in finding different living things that call George Poston Park home.
A Family Friendly Event
We are encouraging participation from everyone in the community. Kids (ages 15 and younger) will be able to fish. We will provide fishing poles and bait to help the kids experience the thrill of catching a fish! When they catch something, a picture will be taken and uploaded to the project on the iNaturalist app.
Partners
We have partnered with different departments in the County to help make this event a success. We will have representation from Natural Resources, Cooperative Extension, the Library, and the Carolina Thread Trail.
There are three trails that we are highlighting during our Bio Blitz at George Poston Park -- Kids' trail (0.6 miles), Lake Loop (2 miles), and the Laurel Hill Loop (3.6 miles).
So, please come join us at George Poston Park on Saturday, June 26. Drop in anytime between 9am – 1pm and check in at Shelter 1 to let us know that you have arrived. This is a FREE event that everyone can participate in.
For additional information please contact Gaston County Parks & Recreation at 704-922-2163 or visit Gaston County Parks and Recreation Facebook page.
Gaston County strives to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to access its programs, services, and activities. If you require assistance to participate in a program, service or activity of Gaston County, we request that you contact our office at least 5 days before the event.
Lynn Helton: Gaston County Parks & Recreation Lynn.Helton@gastongov.com
