ROCHESTER, NY— At the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) Cumming Nature Center’s first BioBlitz, all ages are welcome as citizen scientists in an ecological race to catalog as many living things as possible from 8am to midnight on Saturday, July 15.
Scientists, naturalists, teachers and the public participate in identifying and digitally tagging the location of plants and animals with the help of experts and mobile app tools. Families and individual visitors alike will also gain a greater understanding of our region’s biodiversity through dozens of guided and self-guided experiences including highlights such as:
- Expert-guided hikes on topics from owls to invasive species
- Pond dipping with nets to explore what life is hiding under the water’s surface
- “Sense It” Scavenger Hunts for young children to explore the colors, textures and sounds of nature
- A Nature Art Nook where visitors can sketch what they see and create a leaf decoupage
For the full schedule of activities, visit RMSC.org/bioblitz. Admission at the door is $5 per person or $2 per “Junior Scientist” age 12 and under. Attendees may also add $5 to their admission to receive an event t-shirt.
“BioBlitzes have taken place across the country and around the world,” says Cumming Nature Center Director Nathan Hayes. “We are thrilled to bring the experience to Cumming Nature Center for the first time to get the community excited about citizen science.”
Citizen Science is the collection and analysis of data relating to the natural world by members of the general public, typically as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists.
For high-resolution images and additional information, contact Amanda Bayer, Marketing Communications Manager, RMSC at 585.697.1962 or abayer@rmsc.org or visit the Press / News section of our website at www.rmsc.org/press-news.
Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) includes the Science Museum, Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center. Offering experiences at the Museum with more than 200 interactive exhibits, Planetarium with a 65-foot dome and Nature Center on 900 acres, the RMSC stimulates community interest in exploration. In addition, the more than 1.2 million RMSC collection items tell the story of Rochester’s past including its rich history of innovation and invention. RMSC receives major funding from Monroe County, where it is one of the top three most visited attractions serving children and families. For more information about RMSC, visit www.rmsc.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
