Το Ημερολόγιο του Native Plant Festival BioBlitz 2021

Σεπτέμβριος 15, 2021

Native Plants: a Feast for Fall

Good afternoon, BioBlitz-ers!

Thank you to everyone who had turned out in search of native plants! We are having great results so far, with over 200 submitted observations of plants and the pollinators that rely on them, totally nearly 170 species. With five days left to contribute, I'm confident we can clear 200 species by the end. Do you think 500 total observations is within reach?

One of the many important roles native plants play in our landscapes is feeding wildlife. You can see the abundance of ripe fruits, hearty seeds, and nectar-supplying blossoms that late summer and early autumn provide in many of the BioBlitz pictures. Some of my favorites are the observations of the vibrant purple fruits on American beautyberry. These plants will remain eye-catching for months to both us humans and to hungry birds like cardinals, robins, and thrushes.

Native plants can feed people, too! Each of the three wild plant species in the photo below are edible (and tasty, in my opinion) and have been observed around the area by BioBlitz participants. Can you name any of these outdoor delicacies?


(And yes, I did start snacking as soon as the picture was taken.)

Festival Day is fast approaching!


On Saturday, September 18th, come out to the New Hanover County Arboretum from 10:00-3:00 for garden tours and presentations from expert horticulturalists, and 17 exhibitors with educational displays and children's activities! Native plant sales will be available at Shelton Herb Farm, Wild Bird & Garden (Wilmington location), and more. Hope to see you there!

If you're interested in foraging for wild plants, you'll want to study up well in advance. There are dangerous lookalikes for many wild edibles, and starting with an experienced guide is best.

Posted on Σεπτέμβριος 15, 2021 0403 ΜΜ by as_is_the_sea as_is_the_sea | 0σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο

Σεπτέμβριος 02, 2021

BioBlitz Prizes!

Feeling up for a challenge? Make observations of as many wild plants and pollinators as you can, because landing yourself at the top of a BioBlitz leaderboard will earn you a grand prize pack.

At the end of the BioBlitz, the participant who has observed the most total species and the participant who has the most total observations during the challenge will each receive a grand prize pack. Limit one grand prize per person--if the top participant in each category is the same person, the second prize pack will go to the runner-up for total species observed.

Each grand prize pack includes:

  • A private one-hour native plant tour of Halyburton Park, led by park staff, highlighting unique and rare local plant species (to be scheduled before December 1st)
  • A $25 gift certificate to Shelton Herb Farm
  • An N.C. Aquariums gift pack
  • A free week-long rental of a Halyburton Park kids' discovery backpack, full of outdoor exploration gear


    If competition's not your style, there are still other prizes to be won! Earn an entry into the wildcard prize raffle by doing any or all of the following:
    1) Make an observation of our featured plant, milkweed (gardened plants count!)
    2) Make an observation in each of the four scavenger hunt categories (gardened plants count!)
    3) Bonus entry if you have an observation of a wild native plant in each of the scavenger hunt categories

    Wildcard raffle prizes include:
  • N.C. Aquariums gift packs
  • Halyburton Park kids' discovery backpack rentals
  • Yaupon Tea Co. samples and merch
  • ...and more!

    Prize pickup will be hosted at the New Hanover County Arboretum, and prize winners will be contacted through iNaturalist. Winners will be announced on Sunday, September 19th and further prize pickup information will be shared at that time.

    A huge thank you to our prize sponsors: Shelton Herb Farm, Halyburton Park, Yaupon Tea Co., and the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher!
  • Posted on Σεπτέμβριος 02, 2021 0350 ΜΜ by as_is_the_sea as_is_the_sea | 0σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο

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