Saturday, July 17 2010

Come to the 2nd Annual Great Lakes State Natural Area BioBlitz taking place at the Cedarburg Bog, one of Wisconsin's oldest and most visited State Natural Areas!

Parking is limited, please plan accordingly. Parking stickers are not required for this event and there are no fees.

About the Site: Cedarburg Bog is the most intact large bog in southeastern Wisconsin and composed of a mosaic of vegetation types. Once part of a large glacial lake, the bog is a relict community - a southern example of the type more commonly found in northern Wisconsin. There are six lakes remaining within the bog, all with varying sizes and depths.

The site includes an unusual string or "patterned" bog, unique because it lies far south of its usual range in North America. It is composed of ridges of stunted cedar and tamarack that lie in an open flat sedge mat. The meadow vegetation consists of narrow-leaved sedges, pitcher plant, bogbean, water horsetail, arrow-grass, orchids, and the insectivorous sundew and bladderwort. A conifer-swamp hardwood forest is adjacent to the bog. There is a very diverse flora and fauna; many that are more common in northern boreal forests and that are at their southern range limit here. Cedarburg Bog is owned by the DNR and University of Wisconsin and was designated State Natural Area #2 in 1952.

Come for a Few Hours or Stay for the Day: Our Cedarburg Bog BioBlitz will run approximately twelve hours, from 6am to 6pm. Short, guided data collection trips will be scheduled hourly throughout the day. No matter when you come or how long you stay, you'll find great opportunities to go out and learn about Cedarburg Bog's biodiversity.

Special Kids and Family Activities: Environmental educators from Urban Ecology Center, the Wisconservation Corps, the Milwaukee Public Museum and the UW-Milwaukee Field Station will be on hand to introduce conservation science to families and young children through fun, fast and easy activities.

Special Presentations at Basecamp: Not interested in field trips? We'll have several guest speakers scheduled to give short talks under the tent at basecamp.

A “basecamp” tent, where scientists can set up their microscopes and examine collected specimens and members of the public can gather to go out on hourly “inventory excursions” with leaders will be set up inside the park at the UW-Milwaukee Field Station at 3095 Blue Goose Rd. in Saukville, WI.

Register Today, It's Free! Whether you have no experience or a PhD, the Foundation is eager to have you join one of our Great Lakes State Natural Area BioBlitzes. These family-friendly events welcome anyone with a desire to work and learn side-by-side with scientists at three of Wisconsin's premiere conservation areas.