Scientists, Nature Enthusiasts to Race to Find Species Throughout Havenwoods State Forest During Annual BioBlitz Competition

MILWAUKEE — More than 60 biologists, conservationists and nature enthusiasts from across the state will descend on Havenwoods State Forest on Milwaukee’s north side for the Milwaukee Public Museum’s (MPM) annual BioBlitz competition, Friday and Saturday, June 9-10. In a race against the clock, the event challenges scientists and surveyors to work together to see how many species of plants and animals they can find within a 24-hour period. In past years, participants have counted approximately 1,000 species on average. They will then share their results with the public during a day-long celebration of biodiversity.

“Biodiversity is the study of living things in a particular area,“ said Julia Colby, MPM Invertebrate & Vertebrate Collections Manager, and BioBlitz organizer. “When we put that into context, many people think of the rainforest and the variety of plants and animals there. But biodiversity is in Wisconsin, too—in our lakes, in our parks and even in our own backyards.”

Havenwoods State Forest (6141 N. Hopkins St. 6141 North Hopkins Street, Milwaukee) was chosen for this year’s BioBlitz because of its fascinating past and present. Once home to the Milwaukee County House of Correction from 1917-1945, and a U.S. Army missile base in the 1950s , it’s now managed by the DNR and is Wisconsin’s only urban state forest. With 237 acres of forest, grasslands, wetlands and ponds, Havenwoods is an ecological gem nestled within the city’s northwest side.

The survey portion of the BioBlitz kicks off at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, June 9, and will go through the night. On Saturday, June 10, the event opens up to the public, where all are invited to attend the free Festival of Biodiversity from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., including lunch at noon. Attendees will be able to participate in nature-related activities such as DIY plant presses, pond scooping and butterfly/bird walks. They will also be able to talk to the surveyors about their day of discovery.

“These activities offer people the chance to engage with the outdoors in a unique way, and, for some, the opportunity to meet a scientist for the first time,” Colby said. “BioBlitzes also offer a platform to talk to the public about community science and why these large surveys are an efficient and effective way to collect data and document new species that may be used in research or for conservation efforts.”

Participants of last year’s BioBlitz at Bristol Woods County Park in Kenosha County uncovered two species that hadn’t been previously recorded in the state: Packera glabella (butterweed) and the oak hairstreak butterfly.

This is the Museum’s eighth annual BioBlitz. MPM President & CEO Dr. Ellen Censky helped found and develop the BioBlitz program in the 1990s during her time at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. The BioBlitz program has since been adopted by institutions across the country and the world. “BioBlitzes are not only important biological inventories—they help better connect us to nature,” Cenksy said. “When we are more aware of the plants and animals that share our city and neighborhoods, we are more likely to appreciate our natural environment.”

Generous support for BioBlitz is provided by Antonia Foundation, Generac, and Margarete & David Harvey.

About the Milwaukee Public Museum

The Milwaukee Public Museum is Wisconsin’s natural history museum, welcoming over half a million visitors annually. Located in downtown Milwaukee, the Museum was chartered in 1882, opened to the public in 1884, and currently houses more than 4 million objects in its collections. MPM has three floors of exhibits that encompass life-size dioramas, walk-through villages, world cultures, dinosaurs, a rainforest, and a live butterfly garden, as well as the Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater & Planetarium. MPM is operated by Milwaukee Public Museum, Inc., a private, non-profit company, and its facilities and collections are held in trust and supported by Milwaukee County for the benefit of the public.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.