Expert Biologists:

BioBlitz! could not happen without the participation of biologists from around the region who volunteer their time and expertise.

Expert Biologists fill a variety of roles at BioBlitz!. They can:

• Collect/observe and inventory organisms in their taxa group
• Identify and help others identify species in taxa group
• Interact with Citizen Scientists
  • By leading group activities
  • By giving talks about their area of expertise
  • By instilling a conservation ethic regarding the collection of organisms and use of the natural area.

Because of their knowledge and expertise, Expert Biologists are allowed to:

• Handle and collect vertebrate animals
• Collect and preserve invertebrate animals
• Collect and preserve plants and plant material

Expert Biologists are required to:

Release all vertebrate animals in the area in which they were captured. No vertebrates collected in the Washita National Wildlife Refuge may be kept for specimens.

Notify the refuge personnel if any specimens will be retained in a permanent collection (all collected materials are property of the refuge, but may be housed in a non-private collection and marked as government property).

Citizen Scientists:

BioBlitz! could not happen with out the participation of Citizen Scientists from around the region who volunteer their time and enthusiasm.

Citizen Scientists can participate in a variety of ways at BioBlitz!. They may:

Conduct inventory on their own

• By getting checks of taxa at base camp and marking off what they see
• By taking pictures of observed species and having them identified by expert biologists

Interact with expert biologists

• By attending any of the scheduled activities
• By chatting with them at base camp
• By observing their collections at base camp
• By getting help with identification of photographed organisms

As Citizen Scientists you are permitted during BioBlitz! to assist with the biological inventory. To protect organisms from harm and needless death, Citizen Scientists are only allowed to collect organisms when accompanied or supervised by an Expert Biologist. For example, using sweep nets when on the Insect Walk or collecting inverts while with an aquatic biologist. When you return to the the refuge and park in the future, you will need to follow all park regulations and rules.

Please wear your BioBlitz! t-shirt during the event.
This will help to identify you to the general public as a member of the BioBlitz! inventory team.

We encourage everyone to use technology during BioBlitz!
Use your camera, GPS, or smart phone to take pictures, record location, and take notes on your observations.

For both Expert Biologists and Citizen Scientists
– lists of species should be brought to base camp and delivered to the Taxa Team Leader no later than 3:45 p.m. on Saturday to be included in the inventory total.