My name is Syed Raza. I am currently planning to major in Chemistry along with following a pre-dental track. I hope to graduate Dental school and then to specialize in Orthodontics (Braces).
I hope this class can help me see the role science plays in our community and environment. I also hope to better understand how the public perceives science, as it will be important to understand the average persons stigmas and stereotypes of science. As for how this could help me in my future goals, I hope it will help me be more empathetic to those with less knowledge on subjects and to be better equipped to help them understand or participate.
During the Central Park Bioblitz, my group surveyed Lichen. Lichen are extremely important pioneer species in young ecosystems and their presence is crucial to biodiversity and having a thriving ecosystem. During our survey we tried to see how many species we could find. Unfortunately, over the years the number of species of Lichen has went down in central park because they are very sensitive to pollution, making them good markers of how polluted an area is. Lichen also have other uses such as in dyes. From the few scientists I spoke to, it seemed they were also very interested in surveying how many species of certain animals they could find, as biodiversity is an important issue, especially with rising temperatures, ozone pollution, and air pollution.
I think as citizens of New York City, it is important for us to appreciate the wildlife and greenery inside our parks. There are many dangers to them such as construction, pollution, invasive species, ecosystem disturbances and more. We need to advocate for them because they are important in maintaining our environment. This activity helped me see things I would never notice before, such as tree rot and how much lichen and life can be found on a single tree.
At first I was disappointed that I was put in such a boring group. Why see lichen when you can see moving mammals or bats? However, as I participated in the activity, I realized Lichen are fascinating in their own right. I was surprised that there was so much variety in types of lichen and how they all how distinct differences that let you identify them. I learned how important they are to other animals and that Lichen are actually two animals (Symbiotic). An interesting fact I learned was that you can eat them in survival situations, although they aren’t that tasteful. Overall it was a very mind-opening activity and I would participate in another given the chance.
Life Goals: Polyglot, Director (film, television, documentary), Women’s Rights Activist, Writer, Education Reformer, Traveller, Mother
What are your expectations for the class? How may this help you to accomplish your future career goals?
I expect to learn a lot about learning, with a focus on science. Learning about learning will hopefully spark my interest to reform the American education system. As a high schooler, I was very passionate about the ineffectiveness of many aspects of America’s educational practices. Reading the first chapter of the textbook has reignited my interest, and I hope the rest of the class will do the same. In addition, discovering how humans learn and process information in informal settings aids my work for women’s rights and documentaries, especially since I intend to use documentary work to educate people and change their perspectives.
I expect to do a lot of research, possibly with statistics or about the workings of human cognition. This will be helpful for my work as a women’s activist, an education reformer, and a filmmaker. Activists have to know a lot about the areas in which they work; well-informed arguments can help people better understand issues at hand, and gain support for ending sexism and improving public education. As for filmmaking and television production, research is needed to produce a good movie. One must consider historical accuracy, costs, location, and other factors that need background information. For example, when making Mad Men, crew members had to look at historical details to construct accurate costumes, set designs, and even societal attitudes. By practicing my research skills, I prepare for my future as an activist and filmmaker.
I also expect to be going out and exploring the “informal science” settings in New York City. As a resident of New York, this means I get to know my city better.
Looking in one of the smaller ponds for bullfrogs.
The Herp (herpetology) Team suits up for exploring. Headlights and nets!
Our park ranger joins us in looking over the bridge for bullfrogs.
What did you do during the BioBlitz? What was the importance of what you were doing?
I participated during the 8:45 pm – 12:00 am shift with the frog (herpetology) group. We visited several of the ponds in Central Park, including Turtle Pond, looking for bullfrogs and spring peepers, the two most common frogs in the park. Frogs are important indicators of an ecosystem’s health; the more frogs, the healthier an ecosystem is. If we had found any frogs, we could have gauged the health of Central Park. However, August is not a popular season for spotting frogs, and since their predators (for example, turtles) come out at night, we were unable to find any frogs.
If you got the opportunity to talk to scientists and other volunteers, what did you learn from and/or about them? Why were they doing the BioBlitz?
Our guide studies herpetology, the study of things that crawl (reptiles and amphibians). He became interested in the subject because he used to collect frogs as a kid. He went into the professional field because he likes exploration; he told us science is about finding things out, and it is very applicable in our lives. He warned us that we should not let science classes in school deter us from exploring science, since classes focus more on memorization and less on fun (exploration). I did not ask him why he participated in BioBlitz specifically, but I assume it was due to his passion and the opportunity to share it with others… while having an adventure in Central Park in the dark.
How do you think this activity benefits us, as citizens of New York City?
The BioBlitz introduced nature into our perspectives. Living in an urban setting, one may forget that the park is a natural setting and not just a place to hang out with out worrying about loitering. By questing for the animals or plants of the park, we remove the human aspects – the films that are shot there, the picnics, bike trails – and focus on the natural aspects, on the biology. It serves as a good link for those of us who live in an urban setting, in which frogs and owls are forgotten about in the presence of squirrels and household pests. By participating in the BioBlitz, we are reminded of nature, not just in the city and its parks, but in the broader world as well. For example, our guide contextualized facts he gave us, such as the low amount of frogs in New York City in comparison with more tropical areas.
What was your overall reflection of the experience? (What did you like the most? What surprised you? What did you not like? Would you like to do more activities like this in the future?)
Starting with the negative, I disliked that frogs were offered as an option for observation in a month and at a time of day that are known to be unfavorable for frog spotting. It would have been better to look for species that were more likely to be found than for frogs. That being said, I really enjoyed our tour guide, and I learned interesting information on herpetology. For example, herpetology is an odd branch of study, for it combines reptiles and amphibians, which are not closely evolutionarily related. This mis-combination is probably due to the fact that both groups “creep”, for herpetology comes from the ancient Greek work “herpein” (to creep). Also, biochemicals from a certain type of frog were used to develop the first pregnancy tests!
While I did enjoy the evening overall, I am not sure I would choose to participate in another such event in the city. I’d rather travel to a foreign area and explore. However, maybe my reluctance to further investigate the city’s creatures is more of a reason to do so, as I tend to explore “new” places over my own.
Fun fact: Our group was the Herpetology group, which was shortened to “Herp” by the registration team. This led to some initial perplexion, as it sounds similar to herpes. Well, Herp group, according to the Oxford Dictionary, both “herpetology” and “herpes” come from the same root (“herpein”, Greek, “to creep”).
My name is Sherilyne Co. I am pre-med student in the BA-MD program at Brooklyn College. I plan on majoring in Business Administration for Health Professions. I may minor in neuroscience and health and nutrition sciences. I’m not entirely sure what type of doctor I would like to be, but I am thinking about a career in surgery, neonatology or OB/GYN.
I have always loved learning about science. I think this class will allow me to continue learning about science, but in a different and new way that I have not experienced before. I am used to being lectured about each science subject in a traditional classroom setting. However, this class seems to diverge from that as we learn to think about other ways of learning and other ways of learning science. I am very interested to learn about informal science learning, a phrase I have never heard of, and also how the public learns about science. I think it will be very fun and exciting to explore informal science learning and discover some sites where this type of learning happens. I think this class will help me better understand how I learn science in my every day life as well how other people learn science in their lives. It will give me a different and broader perspective on science learning as I read through articles and attend places where informal science learning occurs. As I learn about how others learn about science and the different ways we can learn science, this class will hopefully allow me to be more open to new methods and ideas as student and eventually as a doctor.
During the Bioblitz, I participated in the bird group. My shift was at night, which made things very difficult to see. In addition, there were not many birds to see because one of our guides explained to us that late August is not the time that many birds are usually in the park. Despite this, we did see many male, female and baby Mallard ducks, a couple of Canadian geese, and a few domestic poultry ducks. Aside from seeing these birds, we saw rats scampering around, raccoons hiding in bushes and also heard frogs croaking loudly. I also had the opportunity to see some bats including a silver-haired bat, which apparently had never been caught in the park. It was wonderful to see all the diversity in the park and to take notice of different aspects of the park that I have not experienced on previous visits. This was an important experience because it allowed me to learn about the environment in a setting other than a traditional classroom environment. As we came upon each species, we learned a little more about them from a book we carried and also from the guides that were with us. I could see what I was learning about and talk to people who know about the topic. I definitely appreciate Central Park a bit more because of the things I got to see that night that I would not normally take notice of on a regular visit.
I did not have the opportunity to talk to the guides too much, but I did learn some things from them. Both guides told us that they were doing BIoblitz because they love nature and being surrounded by it. They love seeing the different species of plants and animals and having the opportunity to maybe even something they didn’t know was in the park or to see something they haven’t had the chance to see before. I also learned from one of the guides that part of Central Park was under construction and he showed us some of the areas near the stream that were being fixed. I also learned that there are people that document the kinds of birds that are in Central Park in a special log and these logs are verified against each other to make sure that what each person saw is accurate.
This activity is beneficial to us because we can experience the natural environment even though we are surrounded by tall buildings, cars and people. It is an important activity because it allowed us to see the diversity within the park that we may not have noticed or cared about when we are usually there. I think we can better appreciate Central Park because we actually saw and learned about the different plants and animals inhabit the park that we may not have even known were there. We were allowed to actively participate in finding different things and learn from very knowledgeable people. I think that the most important thing that this activity did is that it allowed us to learn about the environment and living things in a place other than a classroom, which made it more interesting and fun.
I really enjoyed this experienced. I loved seeing the wildlife of Central Park. I did not know that all these plants and animals inhabited the area. I did not like that it was too dark to see and that this wasn’t exactly the best time of year to be bird watching. I wish that I had the opportunity to do this at a time when more birds could be seen, or at least during the daytime when I can see the features and details of the birds. I think I was surprised most when one of the guides said that bald eagles could be seen in the park. I didn’t know that they could live in the park, even if only for a while. I also enjoyed seeing the bats, even though they are not birds. It was cool to see them up close and take pictures. This experience was very fun and interesting. I enjoyed this experience very much and would definitely do more activities like this.
Hello! My name is Larry Markel and I am a sophomore attending Macaulay Honors at Brooklyn College and am majoring in either biology or chemistry to further pursue my goals of becoming a radiologist. I have always been fascinated with the idea that one person could entirely change the medical perspective on various diseases that were previously incurable and save hundreds of thousands of lives. I strive to be one of those people and therefore involve myself in rigorous scientific courses to prepare myself for medical school.
I believe that this class will teach me how to think and talk about science in a way that I haven’t ever before. With my academic strength focused in math and science, i have always had a formal background in it, such as learning about electron orbitals and why certain chemical mixtures change colors when mixed together. In this class however, we will learn how science affects certain individuals outside the settings of the laboratory or classroom. It will certainly broaden my narrow focus on science and perhaps help me better understand science as a whole. I am wholeheartedly excited to be a part of this course and hope it will strengthen my connection to science.
During the bioblitz, I was part of a lichen group. Lichens are a symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi that primarily grow on barks of trees and certain rocks. We were all examining the 22 different species of lichens and trying to find out exactly how many were still plentiful in central park. Because lichens are very sensitive to air pollution, our guide told us if we didn’t find too many species that would mean that central park was too polluted for the lichens.
The guide was doing the bioblitz because she was writing a thesis in lichenology, the study of lichens and wanted to show us how interesting it could be to observe all the different types of species and see how present they were in one of New York’s best parks. It was a very fun day and seeing how exciting it was for some group experts definitely made it more exciting for the group as a whole.
The activity benefits us as citizens because it allows us to fully understand everything that is hidden in parks such as Central park. Before bioblitz, I would never have imagined that so many species of lichen could be recognized just by looking at them. the diversity of all the plants and animals and other organisms is truly breathtaking if you don’t take a backseat and actually explore it all for yourself. In total there were probably over 20 different living organisms that Macaulay spent a day in total observing. Those numbers make me feel as if I have taken for granted the diversity of Central Park and have not fully taken advantage of its beauty.
The bioblitz was a great learning experience for me. When i thought lichens, i thought to myself that it would be a very boring time but it turned out to be a pleasant and fun experience. I met new people and we all collaborated on finding all the various types of species of lichens. There was nothing really that turned me off from the bioblitz and I would definately do it again if I could.
Hello! My name is Claudia Zmijewski. Before coming to Brooklyn College, I had no idea what I wanted to major in. I must have changed my mind at least ten times before finally deciding on Biology and Children and Youth Studies. I am thinking of becoming a pediatrician because it is the perfect job for me since it combines my passions for science and working with children. Even if I don’t go to medical school, I am definitely exploring careers that focus on children and young people.
Even though I have a lot of experience with science and technology, I feel like this class will explore both fields from a different angle. I’ve taken courses like biology, chemistry, and physics, all of which focus on your own personal understanding of fundamental scientific ideas. But I think this class will be different. Instead of learning things such as what the electron configuration of Iron is, or where the hippocampus is located, or how many domains of life there are, we will examine how people perceive science and how it affects our everyday lives. I’m excited about this course because I have already studied specific fields in science and technology, but now I will be able to examine science through a broader lens.
During the Macaulay BioBlitz, I was a part of the Plants group. Our group was able to identify more than 20 plant species, and this was only in a very small area of Central Park. There was a new plant species every few steps. We pressed a few plant species in a large box made out of several pieces of cardboard to dry and preserve the species. These species would then be transported to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx for archival preservation. During the end of our shift, we discovered a species that was never before seen but believed to be in Central Park. Our group experts told us that we were making history!
At first, I thought being in the Plants group would be really boring because we wouldn’t be observing a living, breathing, moving object. But after a few minutes of listening to how knowledgeable and excited our group experts were about every single plant species we observed, I was fascinated. One group leader was able to tell us the scientific name of each plant—something that had my unquestionable respect. Another group expert told us that he had mapped out every single tree in Central Park, and knew which trees were recently planted. Our group experts definitely loved what they were doing, which is probably why they wanted to participate in the BioBlitz.
The BioBlitz was a great opportunity to learn more about Central Park’s environment. I’ve been in Central Park plenty of times, but never have I taken in its vast diversity. Collecting all of those plant species could one day prove to be very useful for future experiments and observations. As one of our group leaders said, it’s imperative that we collect as many specimens that we can so that others can also observe the exact same thing we did. The BioBlitz was also a good example of our symbiotic relationship with nature, even if it’s manmade. In a city full of buildings and cars and people, it’s nice to be able to walk through such a beautiful area; however, in order to keep that area beautiful, we, as New York City citizens, have to treat it with care and respect.
The Macaulay BioBlitz was a pleasant experience for me. It ended up being more fun than I thought it would be, especially because of our group leaders. My group had a great time learning about the plant species we found. The only thing I didn’t like about the BioBlitz was that it took a while to get started on our shift, but overall, the BioBlitz was enjoyable and interesting.
a) My name is Milana Sapozhnikov and I am pursuing a career in the medical field. I aspire to become a doctor and look forward to continue gaining valuable science knowledge through Pre-med courses, but also through outside experiences. I am a Biology major, but would love to take a variety of courses at Brooklyn College to explore my interests and expand my horizons. Even though I am sure that I want to go onto medical school where I can decide what specific kind of doctor I wish to be, college is an opportunity to actively engage in learning about many fields and in turn learn more about the world and the role you will strive to play in it.
b) Through all my grade school years, I became accustomed to learning science in a classroom setting – mostly from teachers and textbooks. I really want this class to encourage me to explore outside of the classroom, especially since I plan to have many years of formal science learning in college and medical school. An important aspect to being a doctor is being open to exploring new methods and being at the forefront of new scientific ideas. Science often scares some students away who think of it as a strict field of study focused on creating laws to explain the world. But science is dynamic and the approaches to science learning are expanding as well. This class will give me an even greater appreciation towards science and the range of approaches to science learning.
c) I was very lucky to get my first choice for the Bioblitz: bird-watching. I have always wanted to try the activity but had no idea how to approach it. With an expert in bird-watching leading the way, a set of binoculars, a guidebook, and my phone camera I was excited to spot interesting bird species and learn a little about each one. I was honestly very surprised by the amount of species we managed to identify during our shift. We identified 23 bird species, including chimney swifts, Northern cardinals, mourning doves, rock pigeons, blue jays, and Canadian geese. The area that was our focus in Central Park was The Ramble, a region apparently known for being a major bird-watching center. We learned about the migratory paths of many of the species and discussed the role of plumage in gender identification for several species. Macaulay teamed up with the Central Park Conservancy and they plan to use the data that all of the groups collected to have a better account of the range of life in the park. But the importance expands from there too. This activity allowed us as students to experience a hands-on approach to learning. It also allowed us to raise public awareness of the tremendous biodiversity present in this city park and encourage efforts to preserve it.
d) The expert who worked with us was volunteering for Bioblitz. His name was James and he was originally from southern England. His day-job is a banker but he has a very adventurous spirit and is passionate about his bird-watching hobby. He loves to travel the world, and see the differences between people’s cultures and the lives they lead. His next trip is to see the Amazon. He loves nature and spending time outdoors educating students about the immense biodiversity one wouldn’t necessarily expect to find within a city park.
e) This activity definitely benefits us as New York City citizens. Bioblitz allowed us to gain insight into how close of a bond everyone has with science on an everyday basis even in the concrete jungle that is New York. I became so much more appreciative of Central Park as a space where science learning can thrive. The park and the experience itself became representative of the fact that all of us can and should become more active members of New York City’s informal science setting. It underscored the importance of focusing efforts on the conservation of Central Park and other New York City gems like it.
f) I really enjoyed the experience and would definitely love to do more activities like this in the future. It took me out of my comfort zone, as I have never been camping or hiking before. It took me a little while to adjust to the bugs that were flying around but it was very nice to explore parts of Central Park that I had never been to. When I would visit, I would stay on the main paths and would never cross through bushes like we did during our shift. I really liked what a beautiful day it was (minus the few minutes of light rain) and really enjoyed meeting people from different campuses within the Macaulay family. I was most surprised by how knowledgeable our guide was. Just by looking at a little bird quite a distance away James knew what bird it was, sometimes even the gender, and many facts about it. James brought science to life and provided us with a first-hand account of the birds that were depicted in our guidebook. I am very grateful I was able to be a part of this amazing opportunity to learn about New York City in ways I couldn’t imagine were possible.
Hi, I’m sorry I’m awkward and can’t take pictures of myself.
We were surprised to learn that the red growth on the bark was a type of fungi and NOT lichen! Woah!
Not lichen, but fungi!
Collecting samples to put add to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens archive.
Pretty, but irrelevant. I just liked how they looked…
Hi! My name is Kisa Schell. I’m planning on majoring in bilingual childhood education (Spanish and English). Eventually, I hope to become an elementary school teacher in lower income neighborhoods.
My expectations for the class are to learn about how science and technology are an integral part of our lives in New York City. Additionally, I want to learn about how the sciences influence other subjects. Specifically, I am interested in how science and education interact and I believe that learning about science education will benefit me in the future as a general elementary education teacher.
During the BioBlitz, my team and I went into Central Park and surveyed the environment for lichen. Lichen, which are a combination of algae and fungi, covers many of the trees and rocks in Central Park. We looked for which types were present throughout our zone, specifically yellow and grey lichen (physcia millegrana). We also learned about various fungi and the difference between fungi and lichen. Our task was important because we helped take a census on the types of lichen present in Central Park. Because lichen only exists in certain habitats, the absence or presence of various lichen help scientists to understand how the environment has changed over time.
I was fortunate enough to speak with my group leader, a PhD student who majors in the study of lichen at the CUNY graduate center. Unfortunately, I can’t remember her name, but she was very kind and intelligent. I learned that she lives in the Bronx, works at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, wants a Norwegian Elkhound, and studies lichen because she finds it interesting. She volunteered for BioBlitz to fulfill one of her requirements, as well as for the opportunity to study lichen in Central Park.
Although waking up for my 5am shift was the hardest thing I have done all summer, BioBlitz is an important activity because it helps scientists to better understand how Central Park is changing. This then benefits us, the citizens of New York City, because the information is used to maintain homeostasis in the delicate ecosystem that is Central Park, conserving it for future generations to enjoy.
What I got out of my experience was a newfound appreciation for those who contribute to the conservation of Central Park. It is one of the greatest destinations in our city and will continue to be so for many generations to come, thanks to the tireless efforts of scientists, conservationists, and Central Park employees. So the next time you take a stroll through the park, be proud of the role you played in such a unique opportunity.
1. My name is James McKenzie. I’m a Film Production major and Africana Studies minor. I’ve done freelance work in independent film and videography, and my ultimate career goal is to become an accomplished film writer/director.
2. I don’t know what to expect from this class, to be honest. For myself, I expect to be wildly confused, as has often been the norm with science. In this class, I guess I expect to be introduced to lots of different forms of science and how they intersect with other normal aspects of day-to-day life. Being that this is a science and technology class, I assume that a lot of our class will take place on the computer/online.
3. In Bioblitz, I was trusted with the all-important task of taking pictures with my low-quality camera phone with a really weak flash. Being that it was really dark (I had the 9PM shift), it was gonna be next to impossible for me to get any clear photos of anything, as you can see. Nonetheless, I tried, and managed to get one semi-clear shot of a spider (my group was frogs). Also I had a net that went unused.
4. Our guide was actually a PhD herpetologist, and he told us some pretty cool stuff about frogs. He made it clear that we probably weren’t going to find any because frogs didn’t usually come out this season or at this time of night. However, he did share some cool facts about assorted reptiles, not just frogs. For one thing, I didn’t know that toads were a kind of frog; I thought they were different, but related. Also, apparently tree frogs chirp.
5. Well, as New York citizens, it’s helpful to know what wildlife lives in and around the city. Even though Central Park is man-made, it’s interesting to acknowledge that wildlife has managed to thrive and develop on its on, both because of and regardless of human intervention. It also gives us extra reasons not to pollute.
6. I didn’t really like the experience. Honestly, I don’t really have much of an opinion, because, well…I didn’t gain anything new from the experience. I didn’t find any animals. I didn’t go anywhere in Central Park that I hadn’t already been before at that time of night. The whole exploratory endeavor was lost on me, because there was no real exploration to be had. At least, not for me. I guess I’d do it again, if it meant actually discovering something. I hate to sound like a brat, but it ended up being kind of a waste.
Hi My name is Malka Mermelstein. My major is Early/Special Education with a concentration in Psychology. I hope to be able to work individually with children either in a resource room or at-home visits.
My expectations for this class include learning about the informal and indirect ways to learn about science and to see and understand how much science this city offers beyond the textbook. I hope this can help me in my education degree- if not in my end career, then at least in fieldwork that is part of my major requirements.
During BioBlitz, I was part of the Plants group. We went to Shakespeare’s Garden and the to the Castle and the Path beyond that to look at the plants there. I participated by taking notes in the chart of what each of the plants were, noting the description given by our guide.
I didn’t have a full opportunity to talk with other volunteers or scientists. However, for a few minutes, I had the chance to converse with Ken. He studied the trees in Central Park for a number of years and compiled a very thorough and what he calls compulsive, guide. It was fascinating to hear about his love, admiration, and real interest in the trees, nature, and Central Park. He comes to the Park every morning to bird watch. His particular adoration of the park is its irony: a huge landscape of greenery amongst the skyscrapers of the city.
I think the activity lends the opportunity to reflect and appreciate the science and nature that our city holds. Not every day offers one the chance to really stop and think about the science contained in one’s walk to the train on his way to work or to school. The BioBlitz allowed for this reflection- to ponder, study, and learn about the myriad of different aspects of science and species of nature we come across daily.
The guides were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. They made sure to include each student and grab his attention and interest. The activity was a little lengthy, especially since we walked for thirty minutes or so just to get to the zone we were studying. Similar activities are something I would consider.
My name is Ilanit Zada and I am currently a sophomore in Brooklyn College. As of now, my major is still undecided, however, I do know that I would like to be a pharmacist. The reason I have chosen this career is because it is a combination of the two subjects I enjoy most: math and science. I hope that by going into this field not only will I be able to help people daily, but also possibly come up with a drug of my own that could potentially change the world.
I have always viewed science as being the overhead of the different classes necessary to be taken in order to enable me to get into the pharmaceutical program I desire. However, the reality is that we are surrounded by science every day. I hope that this course will open my eyes to the different relationships people have with science and help me understand the other important aspects of science that I may have overlooked until now.
The Bioblitz was an activity conducted in Central Park over a 24-hour period. During this activity, Macaulay students were divided into different groups (birds, insects, fungi, plants etc.). I was placed in the plants group. My group went around the park and documented the various plant species that we saw. Not only was this an enjoyable activity, it was also important for us to document these species so that scientists can use it as a comparison in the future to see whether the biodiversity has expanded or not.
My group and I were privileged to have a botanist walk us through the park. The botanist was extremely knowledgeable and pointed out all the different plant species in the park with so much enthusiasm. In addition, we were fortunate enough to take part in pressing several plants which he told us would be sent to the lab for further investigation and to ensure that they were identified correctly. The botanist told us that he enjoyed walking through the park and sharing his knowledge with us. He also said that he actually walked through various parks daily and inspected the different plants to make different conclusions based on what he saw.
I believe that many citizens take all that nature provides for granted. Being surrounded by the same specimens all the time causes people to overlook the fascinating creatures and their importance to us. For example, being so accustomed to seeing plants and trees all around us, many people forget the important role they play in our lives. Plants provide us with oxygen, which is essential for our existence. I believe that the Bioblitz served as a reminder to citizens to take a closer look and not shy away from things that may be viewed as ordinary.
I really enjoyed the Bioblitz for several reasons; the most important one being that we were given the advantage of studying certain parts of the park that are generally closed to the public. I was extremely surprised to learn that in only two hours we were able to document over 30 different plant species in such a small area. I definitely feel that this activity was an eye-opener for all its participants and I would love to take part in a similar activity in the future.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
