Naperville Park District invites families and individuals to participate in the Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz taking place September 12-20. To join in the BioBlitz, simply take photos of pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds, and upload them to iNaturalist, a free app. The photos will be collected and studied by ecologists from DuPage Monarch Project to get a better understanding of how pollinators are doing in our area, specifically, in parks or forest preserves that are in DuPage County, for Naperville, these include parks and preserves located north of 87th Street.
A news release from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County further explains the scope and background of the Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz event. The Forest Preserve District is co-hosting the event with DuPage Monarch Project as part of a national initiative of the National Recreation and Park Association.
Instructions for participation are included in the news release as follows:
“To participate in the BioBlitz, people should download the iNaturalist app on their phone and create an account. Participants should make sure to allow the app to use their location so it will record where their photos are taken.
To share photos in iNaturalist, participants use the iNaturalist app between Sept. 12 and 20 to take photos of pollinators they see when visiting a DuPage forest preserve or any park in DuPage County. In the app, people should select “Observe” under the camera icon and take a photo. Then select “Next.” Select Share to automatically share your photos to the BioBlitz project.”
Naperville Park District encourages the community to support pollinators, and maintains five Monarch Way Stations certified through Monarch Watch as well as many acres of native plants that provide habitat for pollinators.
-Naperville Park District