Families as Citizen Scientists this Saturday
BioBlitz at Northfield Town Forest

Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust is joining with the Town of Northfield to host a BioBlitz on Saturday, June 9th, at the Northfield Town Forest. Volunteers are invited to come down and join the BioBlitz—an event in which people gather to survey a property and compile an extensive list of species, both plants and animals, present in the area.

Help to identify plant and animal species and to provide a foundation for future stewardship at the Northfield Town Forest.  The Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust and the town of Northfield are hosting a BioBlitz on this Saturday, June 9th at the forest.  A BioBlitz is an event where community members volunteer  as citizen scientists (alongside experts in wildlife biology, forestry, etc.) to survey an area and compile an extensive list of the plant and animal species present there. Not new to Western MA, Berkshire County and Hampden County have played host to a BioBlitz in year’s past, and now Franklin County will have one happening in Northfield.

Northfield’s BioBlitz will feature two “shifts,” one during the morning and one in the afternoon.  The first part of the event is a bird walk, which takes place from 7:30-9:30am, while the second takes place from 1-5pm and will focus on identification of plants, fungi, and small (and maybe large!) non-avian creatures.

Citizen scientists of all ages and levels of experience are welcome – there will be plenty of people and resources available to help out with proper identification of specimens.  There will also be a craft table for kids, where they can create illustrations of the species they found and help to design a logo for the forest.

Participating in the BioBlitz is a great supplement to studies of local ecology, habitats, and ecosystems, and can provide students of all ages with a new perspective on their local environment and help them to develop awareness of the many different organisms that live and grow nearby.  For more information, visit www.mountgrace.org.

Directions to the Northfield Town Forest: From the Northfield Town Hall, head south on 63, turn east (left) onto Maple St. Continue onto Gulf Rd for about 2.2 miles. The event headquarters will be at the parking area for the Brush Mountain Conservation Area.