Walk through the trails at Temple Ambler and you’ll certainly see a wonderful variety of trees and plants. Look closer, however, and you’ll discover an entire thriving ecosystem of birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and more!
From 9 a.m. Saturday, September 27, through 9 a.m. Sunday September 28, the Ambler Arboretum and the Temple Ambler Field Station will host at special BioBlitz, giving participants and opportunity to become citizen scientists and help catalogue the living things that call the Ambler Campus and Ambler Arboretum home.
“A bioblitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. We want people to realize that the Ambler Arboretum is more than our signature gardens — it encompasses the entirety of the campus,” said Kathy Salisbury, Director of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. “Our bioblitz will take place over a 24-hour period in a section of the Arboretum that includes woodlands, meadows, wetlands and creeks.”
During the BioBlitz, community members, scientists, faculty members, students, teachers and families will work together to get an overall count of plants, animals, birds, fungi, and other living creatures.
“In general, a bioblitz is usually done to assess the biodiversity of a specific space. We’re very excited to hold our first BioBlitz for the community in several years,” said Salisbury. “It helps with decision-making — how the space will be used, how it can be improved to increase biodiversity and how to address problem areas, such as invasive species, if they are found. As we work on improving the campus and we hold addition bioblitz events in the coming years, we can see if the diversity has increased — the more diverse an ecosystem is, the more stable it is.”
From 2 p.m. Saturday, September 27, through 9 a.m. Sunday, September 28, the BioBlitz will be held in tandem with the Temple Ambler Campout!
Individuals who have never been part of a bioblitz and can’t tell one insect or leaf from another need not worry. Detailed descriptions and guidelines of the various roles needed to help with surveying and collecting the data will be provided. While individuals can take part in discovering animals and other living things throughout the event, the BioBlitz will also include several signature experiences led by experts in their field.
Signature BioBlitz Experiences
Saturday, September 27
2:15 to 2:45 p.m.: BioBlitz — Introduction to Citizen Science — Learn what hands-on citizen science is all about with Dr. Mariana Bonfim, Managing Director of the Temple Ambler Field Station.
2:45 to 3:30 p.m.: BioBlitz Investigation — Tree Walk — Join Ambler Arboretum Director Kathy Salisbury for a BioBlitz investigation of trees!
3:30 to 4:15 p.m. BioBlitz Investigation — Butterflies — Sam Makler, Manager of the Collins Nursery of the Ambler Arboretum, leads a BioBlitz Butterfly Walk!
4:30 to 5:15 p.m. BioBlitz Investigation — Herbaceous Plants — Join Ben Snyder, Manager of the Tyler School of Art and Architecture Greenhouse Education and Research Complex and explore herbaceous plants on campus.
5:15 to 6 p.m.: BioBlitz Investigation — Amphibians — Join Temple University Biology professor Dr. Chris Agard as we learn about and search for amphibians on campus.
10 to 10:30 p.m.: BioBlitz Investigation — Moth Walk — Join Ambler Arboretum Director Kathy Salisbury for a nighttime moth investigation in the Colibraro Conifer Garden!
Sunday, September 28
8:00 a.m.: BioBlitz Investigation — Temple Ambler Field Station Morning Tour
“While we need scientists and experts in plants, animals, birds and fungi involved, this is an event that is very much about citizen science,” said Salisbury. “Everyone involved will be taking pictures and samples and, depending on what they are looking at, they will identify it themselves or bring it to experts for identification; then it will be compiled into a database. The wonderful thing about a bioblitz is that everyone can help!”
Record sheets will be given to each participant to help catalog the species they discover, the location where it is found and any general notes or observations they have about the find.
“Biodiversity is all around us. As our participants are enjoying getting out into nature and learning how to identify plants and animals I think they might be very surprised at what they discover living right here in their community,” said Salisbury. “The BioBlitz is a chance for people to explore the Ambler Arboretum in a completely different way but I hope it will also get them thinking about the biodiversity in their own backyards and what they can do to support increased diversity. We look forward to exploring with everyone!