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‘BioBlitz’ slated for Sept. 15
Dan Mosier II, a local honey bee expert, assisted the Crawford County Conservation District as part of last year’s National Recreation and Park Association’s nationwide “Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz” event, a photo challenge that helps residents understand the importance of pollinators. - photo by Aaron Pyle

FARLINGTON, Kan. — Crawford County is turning its wilderness into an open-air laboratory as science and conservation experts have teamed up for the third annual Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz event at Crawford State Park at Farlington Lake.

The Crawford County Conservation District is inviting the community to participate in the fast-paced event throughout the month of September during which scientists, students, and everyday volunteers work together to find and identify as many plant, animal, and fungus species as possible in a specific area within a set time limit.

In order to participate, attendees just need to take pictures of plants, birds, insects, butterflies, bees, beetles, and other pollinators and then upload them to iNaturalist either via the app or via the website — inaturalist.org. In order to count towards the National Recreation and Park Association’s BioBlitz event, attendees must conduct the research in September and must be at the state park for it to be counted.

Research gathered helps create a comprehensive snapshot/inventory of local species while helping park managers, scientists, and researchers monitor ecosystem health and spot potential invasive threats. The event also helps connect people of all ages with nature, sparking scientific curiosity along with a love for environmental management.

As part of the yearly event, the Crawford County Conservation District invites presenters and educators from the community for one day to share their research and answer questions. The showcase takes place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, near the front entrance of the park at the Civilian Conservation Corps Memorial and Museum. Organizations and experts planning to attend are Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Forest Service, K-State Extension, and Peyton’s Potting Shed.

In the case of rain canceling the event next week, the event will be moved to Tuesday, Sept. 22.

For more information, visit kssoilhealth.org/event/bioblitz-at-crawford-state-park/.

This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.