ID plants and animals at 21 state nature preserves, and help out researchers

A monthlong BioBlitz, sponsored by the Nature Conservancy is a bid to help researchers and conservationists find and identify as many local plant and animal species at local nature preserves.

The conservancy in Michigan has partnered with Michigan State University Science Festival to host the BioBlitz. People can participate at the Nan Weston Nature Preserve at Sharon Hollow in the Upper River Raisin Watershed near Manchester and 20 other locations across Michigan. 

Participants can download the iNaturalist app and use it at any host location across southern Michigan to log observations of animal, plant and insect species.

“(It) encourages people to enjoy nature, which is the bigger goal here,” said Stephanie Kyriakakis, a conservation scientist with the Nature Conservancy. “With it also being spring and things are budding out … you can identify more species. It's a good time and nice hiking weather.”

To get involved, participants can take photos or capture sounds in nature, upload them to the iNaturalist app or website and identify it as many as they can, said Hazel Anderson, a Ph.D. candidate at MSU and public programs assistant with the MSU Science Festival. The festival is an annual monthlong event that has returned for in-person participation for the first time since 2020. 

Logging the location of observations is key, Anderson said.

“Other people on the app can help you get more specific identification,” Anderson said. For example, “if you know that it's a plant but you're not sure what kind of plant, people can help you out who might know more.”

Anderson uses iNaturalist data in her own research on large-scale patterns of plant biodiversity at MSU. 

“It's used a lot in conservation, looking at where species are and what kind of changes have occurred year to year or over a little bit longer span,” Anderson said.

The Nature Conservancy in Michigan uses iNaturalist data to get to know new preserves they acquire and help with species inventory, Kyriakakis said. 

Metro Detroiters looking to participate in the BioBlitz can go to Belle Isle Park or their own backyards. 

“If you're not near one of our featured locations, we also have an iNaturalist project for Michigan and beyond, so really any nature near you we’d love to see what you're seeing and see what we can find together,” Anderson said.

Species to look out for

The Nan Weston Nature Preserve is hosting a guided BioBlitz hike on Earth Day April 22 that will include activities like species bingo. The preserve contains more than 260 species of wildflowers and other native plants, like Trillium, Bloodroot and Eastern Skunk Cabbage. 

“Taking pictures of any of these different wildflower species or native plants, even if the user doesn't know what they are, you can still take a picture,” Kyriakakis said. “The great thing is iNaturalist has such a great scientific community and user community that other folks will ID the species for you.”

Migratory birds also return to Michigan in the spring, and participants can keep an eye out for the different species, Anderson said.

The American redstart is a small warbler that BioBlitz participants may find at the Nan Weston Nature Preserve, Kyriakakis said. It is black with bright patches of orange and white. They sing rapid and high pitch songs that participants can listen for and record. 

“Nan Weston Nature Preserve at Sharon Hollow is teeming with activity in April, from migrating songbirds stopping over to blooming wildflowers dotting the landscape,” said Helen Taylor, state director for TNC in Michigan. “Spring is a great time to get out and enjoy nature, and we’re eager to see the different kinds of plants, insects and birds visitors can spot and log at Nan Weston.”

The blue spotted salamander is an amphibian that hikers might also come across in the Nature Preserve, according to Kyriakakis. Michigan is one of the few states where the Blue-Spotted salamander is still common. 

Participants can also use the MSU Science Festival’s BioBlitz guide. 

hmackay@detroitnews.com