The Municipality of Chatham-Kent (CK) has a number of nature based events planned for the end of April to celebrate the participation in a global initiative.
CK has teamed up with the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA), St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA), and NatureCK to take part in the City Nature Challenge BioBlitz.
This version of the BioBlitz invites people to get out and explore, document, and identify nature in their local communities.
All it takes to participate is an iNaturalist account and a device to take photos with.
The City Nature Challenge BioBlitz takes place in two parts:
From April 24 to April 27, CK community members should go out to their backyard, parks, or trails and take as many photos of plants, animals, and fungi as possible.
From April 28 to May 10, those photos, along with any identification or observations should be uploaded to the iNaturalist App or Chatham-Kent's project page.
Prizes, totalling over $1,000, will be available to participants.
On Friday, April 24, the SCRCA and LTVCA will have nature exploration equipment available to borrow, and will be running guided tours at Peer's Wetland and the C.M. Wilson Conservation Area respectively.
The Peer's Wetland tours will take place between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tours at the C.M. Wilson Conservation Area will go from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
On Sunday, April 26, there will be a community gathering in Tecumseh Park. From 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., nature lovers are invited to come out, mingle, and learn more about CK's biodiversity from municipal staff and other experts. CK Smashburger will also be on site, for anyone who wants to grab a bite to eat.
On Tuesday, April 28, there will be an Identification Party and Nature Colouring Event at Turns & Tales. That event is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. It's set up to help participants upload and identify their BioBlitz photos.
All events are family-friendly and will take place rain or shine. The only exception will be in the case of extreme weather.
