Great Salt Plains State Park and Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge to host BioBlitz! 2008 in September

BioBlitz! is a fun and educational event that invites everyone to help tally the diversity in one of Oklahoma’s unusual areas.

The Great Salt Plains State Park and Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in conjunction with the Oklahoma Biological Survey will be hosting BioBlitz! 2008 on September 12 and 13. BioBlitz! is a rapid inventory of biological diversity conducted by volunteers from around the state and region. Volunteers will count as many species as possible in 24 hours at the state park and wildlife refuge near Cherokee located in north-central Oklahoma.
Volunteer “biologists” range from professional scientists to families to college students to high school groups to enthusiastic amateurs. Anyone who is interested can volunteer to help count Oklahoma’s diversity. Volunteers can register for a small fee and will receive free tent camping, event t-shirt, ticket for Friday night cookout, and 24 hours of biological diversity. Registration is available on-line at www.biosurvey.ou.edu/bioblitz/BioBlitz.html, by calling 405-325-7658, or at the event. Preregistration is suggested.
The BioBlitz! goal is to encourage Oklahomans to appreciate the biological diversity found right in our “backyard.” BioBlitz! offers a hands-on scientific experience and a chance to learn more about the natural diversity right where we live.
On Saturday September 13, experts will be leading educational activities which will include birding tour of the refuge by hayride, wildflower identification, reptiles of Oklahoma, fish of the Salt Plains, insect collecting, and more. Participation in the Saturday activities is free with no registration required.
The Salt Plains is a speculator location for birding and wildlife viewing. In fact, the habitat is so important to shorebirds that this year’s BioBlitz! logo includes the Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) which breeds on the salt flats at the refuge. The saline habitat and surrounding wetlands should be an excellent place for biologists to inventory a wide variety of species.
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Oklahoma Biological Survey is a research unit of the University of Oklahoma. BioBlitz! is a non-profit event.

Here’s an email I received, with a chance for you to list your wine tasting opportunities within Red Carpet Country in an online directory, at no cost.

Hi, I am responsible for the list of land based tourist attractions at www.WhenWeGetThere.com. We are trying to build a list of wine tours and places to go wine tasting. If your business has a wine tour or a place to taste wine please take a moment to add your business information from the ‘Add an Attraction’ button on any page at www.whenwegetthere.com. There is no cost to be listed so be sure to forward this email to other people you know that might be interested in being listed too.

Thanks,

Blair Jensen
blair@whenwegetthere.com

Of course, we’d like to hear about any tasting opportunities in Red Carpet Country, too. So email rcc@beckymccray.com, and I’ll list you on your county page, as well.