attend as they wish: reptiles at 1 p.m., followed by trees,
then wildflowers, and so on. Along the way, participants get
to watch biologists at work and learn more about the wildlife
they study and the work they do.
Amber Schiltz, Nebraska wildlife education coordinator
for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, has spearheaded
three bioblitzes in the Panhandle since 2016, including those
at Wildcat Hills. Several parents have told Schiltz that they
pulled their kids out of school for the afternoon so they
could attend a bioblitz (in light of this, she plans to change
future schedules so there's no skipping school).
"Kids want to be scientists because of this," Schiltz
said. "For me, it's so exciting to hear these things, and to
know that these events that happen just once a year are that
influential to these kids."
While bioblitzes are designed to be fun, real science is
involved. While a bioblitz cannot provide a full census
of everything living in a particular area, the data can
help identify thriving, disappearing or missing species;
document rare or unusual species; and provide fodder
for future research. And park staff walk away with a
better understanding of what's flying, crawling, growing,
swimming and walking about on their grounds.
No matter how results are used, people are going to show
up, it seems.
This year will mark Chadron State Park's third bioblitz,
and the venture has been a success for the park, said
superintendent Gregg Galbraith. "It just keeps getting bigger
and bigger, and as long as people are interested it'll keep
growing," he said. ■
Upcoming Bioblitzes
Homestead National Monument of America, May 19
Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area, July 20-21
Chadron State Park, Sept. 14-15
Indian Cave State Park, Sept. 21-22
Volunteers like Amber Schiltz (left), Alisha Heelan and Ariel McNare identified more than 200 species of plants, animals and insects
at the Chadron State Park Bioblitz last September. Bioblitzes have only started to take off in Nebraska in recent years.
MAY 2018 • NEBRASKAland 37
