MPM BioBlitz

media release: Milwaukee Public Museum’s (MPM) 10th annual BioBlitz will bring together scientists and community members for a celebration of biodiversity at the Aldo Leopold Foundation in Baraboo, June 27-28. Approximately 100 species specialists and nature enthusiasts from across the state are expected to participate in BioBlitz, where they’ll have just 24 hours to search the 4,000-acre property for as many species of plants and animals as possible. During the final five hours of the ecological survey, the public is invited to join the experts in the field as they uncover, collect, identify and count the species, as well as take part in nature-themed activities from partner organizations at base camp. “Each year, MPM selects a different natural area in Wisconsin as the site of our BioBlitz so that we can connect with new audiences and better understand the entire ecology of the state,” said Julia Colby, MPM Invertebrate & Vertebrate Collections Manager and BioBlitz organizer. “A BioBlitz is a great way to get a snapshot of the wide array of wildlife in a particular area and a wonderful opportunity to engage residents in community science who may not be aware of the amazing biodiversity in their own backyard. In past years, BioBlitz participants identified approximately 1,000 species. This data is provided to the host site and the public to be used to inform future conservation efforts, scientific research, public outreach and more.”

Located along the Wisconsin River and home to one of the oldest prairie restorations, the Aldo Leopold Foundation property was chosen for this year’s site because of its history and diverse landscape. In the 1930s, conservationist, writer and philosopher Aldo Leopold and his family purchased an 80-acre farm to be used as a weekend retreat, using a former chicken coup as their “cabin.” They began replanting trees and prairie plants on the abandoned agricultural field, inspiring restoration efforts on the land for the next 90 years. The chicken coup, known today as the Leopold Shack, has become a must-see destination for nature lovers around the world and will be open to BioBlitz attendees. Surrounding the Shack is the Leopold-Pines Conservation Area, which has become a haven for sandhill cranes in the fall and is surrounded by thousands of acres of other prairie and savanna restorations as well as wetlands. “We are excited to learn about the biodiversity resulting from both our recent and decades-long land care, some of which goes back to Aldo Leopold’s time,” said Buddy Huffaker, CEO, Aldo Leopold Foundation. “Our species monitoring program is limited to birds, bumblebees, monarchs and plants. We appreciate MPM for mustering the collective knowledge of so many specialists to reveal, even to us, what goes unseen and unknown across our 4,000 acres. Their discoveries will help us better understand what care and conditions are needed for different species to thrive, which influences our management decisions and actions."

The survey portion of BioBlitz kicks off at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 27, and ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 28, when the species total will be announced. The public portion, which is free, will go from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and includes the following activities from MPM educators, Leopold Foundation staff and representatives from partner organizations:

• Tour the historic Aldo Leopold Shack, the setting of his famous A Sand County Almanac

• Nature journaling workshop with Kathy Devries Designs

• Butterfly walk with the Dane County Butterfly Monitoring Program

• Mycology walk with the Mycological Society of Wisconsin

• Moss walk with UW-Green Bay’s Cofrin Center for Biodiversity

• Bumble Bee Brigade activity station

• International Crane Foundation activity station

• Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation activity station

• UW-Madison Arboretum activity station

• Hiking trails through natural habitats to discover biodiversity on your own

MPM President & CEO Dr. Ellen Censky helped organize the first-ever BioBlitz that involved members of the public in the 1990s during her time at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. The BioBlitz public program has since been adopted by institutions across the country and the world. “By involving community members in a BioBlitz and giving them the opportunity to meet and join real scientists in the field, science and conservation work become less intimidating and more of a shared

experience, reminding us that we all can be stewards of the environment,” Censky said. Generous support for MPM’s 10th annual Bioblitz is provided by Antonia Foundation, Margarete and David Harvey and PPG Foundation.