Fourth Annual Southcoast Biodiversity Week and Family Fun Day

Join the Lloyd Center for a week of free walks and events at the Center’s Fourth Annual Southcoast Biodiversity Week and Family Fun Day taking place Monday – Saturday, September 21 – 26.

family-fun-day-2015In addition to walk and event participants, selected school groups and clubs will also collect data through the school week (Monday – Thursday). Scientists have been invited for the weekend (Friday/Saturday) “Bioblitz” to conduct surveys and identify organisms collected by volunteers, do a presentation or lead a walk in their area of expertise, identify specimens collected during the week by students and volunteers, and ultimately submit a list of species they have identified.

The Lloyd Center sponsors Biodiversity Week to advance the goals of the Southcoast All Taxa Biodiversity Initiative by collecting baseline data within the Slocum/Paskamansett watershed on selected floral and faunal groups. For more information on the Biodiversity Initiative visit the Center’s website at www.lloydcenter.org.

Below are details of the events that will take place. Events taking place Monday through Friday are free of charge to all participants. Fun Day and Biodiversity Wrap-up, taking place on Saturday, is free to all Lloyd Center members, a suggested donation of $5 for non-members.

On Monday, September 21, 7am – 9am, join Lloyd Center Research Associate Jamie Bogart for an Early Morning Bird Walk. Participants will explore DNRT’s Knowles Reserve property that stretches from Potomska Road to the head of Little River. Depending on the season’s migration, a variety of forest and marsh migrants may be seen during this trip. Pre-registration is required by Friday, September 18, 4pm. Participants are to meet at the Lloyd Center for the Environment located at 430 Potomska Road in Dartmouth. If you have specific questions regarding the program, please call Jamie at 508-990-0505 x 23, or email jbogart@lloydcenter.org.

2013-dhs-biodiversity-3On Tuesday, September 22, 7am – 9am, Jamie will take participants on a Fall Visitors Walk. With its combination of woodland, marsh and estuarine environments, the Lloyd Center is situated to observe a diverse array of fall migrants. This walk will highlight both upland and wetland fall migrant birds, and also look for mammal signs. Pre-registration is required by Monday, September 29, 4pm. Participants are to meet at the Lloyd Center. If you have specific questions regarding the program, please call Jamie at 508-990-0505 x 23 or email jbogart@lloydcenter.org.

On Wednesday, September 23, 9am – 12 noon, Lloyd Center Research Director Mark Mello will lead Monarch Migration and Other Fall Butterfly Wonders at Gooseberry Neck. Gooseberry Neck is one of the prime locations in Massachusetts to observe the fall Monarch migration and other butterflies moving north or south along the coast. As a cooperator for Monarch Watch (an international Monarch tagging research program operated out of the University of Kansas), participants will be catching and placing tags on Monarchs so that their journey to Mexico might be better understood. Pre-registration is required by Tuesday, September 22, 4pm. Participants are to meet at the Gooseberry Neck parking lot. If you have specific questions regarding the program, please call Mark at 508-990-0505 x 22 or email markmello@lloydcenter.org.

biodiversity On Thursday, September 24, 9am – 12 noon, Jamie Bogart will bring participants to Turners Pond. Participants will concentrate on the fresh water environment that forms the headwaters of the Slocum/Paskamansett River watershed. This will include seining and/or dip-netting in pond, riverine and vernal pool environments. Old sneakers and jeans that you don’t mind getting wet or hip boots are recommended for those folks wanting to participate in the “catching”, however “landlubbers” can help process the samples without getting wet! Pre-registration is required by Wednesday, September 23, 4pm. Participants are to meet at the Route 140 Park & Ride on Mt. Pleasant Street. If you have specific questions regarding the program, please call Jamie at 508-990-0505 x 23 or email jbogart@lloydcenter.org.

On Friday, September 25, 10am – 12 noon, Mark Mello will lead participants on an exploration of the estuarine environment portion of the Slocum/Paskamansett River watershed with Seining for Sub-tropicals & Other Marine Life. An added treat in the fall can be the arrival of marine visitors from the south. This will include seining and/or dip-netting as well as some digging for benthic critters. Old sneakers and jeans that you don’t mind getting wet or hip boots are recommended for those folks wanting to participate in the “catching”, however “landlubbers” can help process the samples without getting (too) wet! Participants are to meet at the Lloyd Center for the Environment. If you have specific questions regarding the program, please call Mark at 508-990-0505 x 22 or email markmello@lloydcenter.org.

All of the above walks and events are free of charge. Space is limited to either 12 or 15 depending on the event. Pre-registration is required for all and can be done online at www.lloydcenter.org or by calling the Lloyd Center’s event line 508-558-2918.

biodiversity dayBiodiversity Week will wrap up at the Lloyd Center on Saturday, September 26, 10am – 3pm with Family Fun Day and Biodiversity Week Wrap Up. Be sure to join the Lloyd Center staff for a wrap-up of Biodiversity Week where you will get to see some of the reptiles, amphibians, insects and wildlife that inhabit our watershed. The day will be full of guided building tours, trail walks, scavenger hunts, crafts and games for all age levels.

This event is free to Lloyd Center Members; Non-members – $5 suggested donation.

Pre-registration is not required for this event. All ages are welcome.

If you have any questions about the event please contact Jen Wimmer at 508-990-0505 x 14 or jen@lloydcenter.org.