Bioblitz if any one is interested.

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NickAsher
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Bioblitz if any one is interested.

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Trey
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Re: Bioblitz if any one is interested.

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Its not showing up for me..
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justinm
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Re: Bioblitz if any one is interested.

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I'm not on Facebook. Can you post the details?
NickAsher
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Re: Bioblitz if any one is interested.

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If anyone is interested please pm me.
NickAsher
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Re: Bioblitz if any one is interested.

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Hi All:
We are looking forward to seeing you for this coming weekend's Ecoblitz surveys of the Morgan Monroe Back Country Area. This will be the last formal weekend for multiple team surveying for this year in the Ecoblitz, although we are planning to have a small mammals survey on September 27 - 29 with a possible follow-up to that survey on October 4 - 5. We may also do 1-2 more surveys for mushrooms and fungi as the fall comes on. Our Ecoblitz Permit for this year concludes on October 15. A report of our data and findings for this first year must then be submitted to the IDNR's Divisions of Forestry and Nature Preserves as soon as we can complete it.


Below is the information about surveys and survey times. We start once again with the directions to our base camp at the Weaver Plantation but this time augmented with directions to the Possum Trot trail head where many of the surveys will start from this weekend.


Directions to the Ecoblitz Area : The 900 acre Ecoblitz Area is in the heart of the Morgan Monroe-Yellowwood State Forest Back Country Area which lies on the eastern side of Low Gap Road primarily in Morgan Monroe State Forest. From Bloomington, take Old 37 (off Walnut Street at the north end of Bloomington) east off Walnut Street at the northern end of Bloomington, (right if you're coming from Bloomington) - at the traffic light at the bottom of the long hill. At 5 miles from this light, turn east off of Old 37 onto Anderson Road. Take Anderson road 5.6 miles to Low Gap Road and turn left on Low Gap Road. This is where Anderson Road makes a sharp turn to the right (south) becoming Lake Lemon's North Shore. Drive 1.8 miles north on Low Gap Road to the Weaver Plantation, our Headquarters/Base Camp. There will be a large routed sign for the Weaver Plantation on your left.



To get to the Ecoblitz Area from points north, take St. Rd. 37 south from I-465 on the southside of Indianapolis. At Martinsville, go down the long hill and across a flat 0.5-1 mile long straight of way to the stop light at "Mahalasville Road" where you will turn left. At this intersection across Mahalasville Road, there is a Shell Station/Circle K on the left and a Walgreens on the right side of 37, so slow down and get in the left turning lane of 37 as you approach this intersection. Drive 2.8 miles east and south on Mahalasville Road (past Cramertown Road) to Low Gap Road. Turn right on Low Gap Road. You will then drive 5.9 miles south on Low Gap Road to the Weaver Plantation on your right. You go past Baker Road on the right and Downey Road on the left and up the hill into Morgan Monroe State Forest past the Orcutt Road/Shipman Ridge which is gated on your left side. Drive 1.2 miles further south to the Weaver Plantation on your right, stopping at our Headquarters/Base Camp.


***This weekend, most of our survey teams will enter the Ecoblitz area from the Possum Trot Trail Head. After checking in at the Weaver Plantation, teams will carpool to Possum Trot. From Weaver, teams will drive south on Low Gap Rd for 1.8 miles to the three-way intersection with Anderson Rd and North Shore Rd. Stay left to continue on North Shore Rd heading south. After 0.7 miles, follow a sharp turn to the left, remaining on North Shore Rd. You are now heading east on the north side of Lake Lemon. After 2.7 miles from the sharp turn, turn north (left) onto Possum Trot Rd. You are now heading north. Drive 3.2 miles north until you reach the gravel parking lot beside the gate. This is the Possum Trot Trail Head. Ignore the sign on your right before you reach the Trail Head that incorrectly says you are on a private road.


Cell phone reception is spotty in this area. Nevertheless if you get lost, call me, Jeff Stant at 317-489-7112, Audrey Moore at 317-777-0315, or Tim Maloney at 812-369-8677.


Remember to bring:
*GPS and/or compass
*adequate water (we recommend at least two 1-liter containers for each survey)
*adequate shoes, socks and foot care material (long pants are also
recommended)
*rain gear
*sun protection
*bug repellent
*flash light and charged batteries
*toilet paper and handiwipes


As before, we are providing a vegetarian lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Please let us know as soon as possible if you have any dietary needs. You can refill your water bottles at Weaver Plantation and once again, we will have a porta-john there.


Check in at Weaver Plantation:
For the Saturday and Sunday surveys, please come to the Weaver Plantation first to meet your team, get your maps and data sheets, and car pool to Possum Trot or Low Gap to keep the vehicles parking at both of these locations manageable. This will also allow us to manage which teams are surveying where and know the makeup of each team.


Whether or not you are identified below as a team participant, you are welcome to participate in any of these surveys if you have some knowledge of the taxa or want to learn more about a taxa. Those wanting to participate should contact Audrey Moore if possible in advance of the Ecoblitz at 317-777-0315, [email protected] to help us plan, but don't let a failure to contact us, keep you from deciding to come on short notice.

As before, we will discuss protocols for ensuring that teams stay on track and do not get lost, but please come prepared with the items above, bring the maps we provide, and keep your team in sight at all times to ensure that your survey is enjoyable and runs smoothly.


Also, don't forget to use our brush on your boots (and clothes if you have been elsewhere in those clothes outside since washing them) to help prevent the spread of invasive plants.

Teams:
Here are the teams surveying this weekend and their schedules. They will be using the same methods posted for the three previous survey weekends of this summer unless noted below. We are attaching them. Team leaders can explain them. As always, we encourage team leaders, listed participants and others who may want to join a team's survey to get in touch with each other before hand. We also urge you to arrive 25-30 minutes early at the Weaver Plantation before your survey times to accommodate the driving time to get over Possum Trot Trail Head.


Plants Team:
Steven Dunbar, [email protected], 812-325-0968, Team Leader
David Mow, [email protected], 765-342-8085
Kevin Tungesvick, [email protected], 765-354-2775 (Saturday only)
Don Ruch, [email protected], 765-285-8829, (Saturday only)
Ben Hess, [email protected], (Saturday only)

Stephen Russell, [email protected], 765-532-4227, will be going out with the plants team to survey for fungi and mushrooms, and thus likely moving at a slower pace.

Survey Times:
Saturday: 9:30 am - 12 noon, 2:00-5:00 pm
Sunday: 9:30 - 11:30 am, 1:30 - 4:00 pm
*Please arrive by 9:00 am Saturday and Sunday morning to allow these surveys to start
from Possum Trot by 9:30 am.




Reptiles and Amphibians Team:
Bob Brodman, [email protected], 219-866-6215, Team Leader
Tim Rice, [email protected], 219-869-0870
Nick Asher, [email protected], 317-459-5211
Heather Milbratch, [email protected]
Jim Horton, [email protected], 317-443-4845, (Sunday only)
There are 12 students from Saint Joseph's College also participating in this team.


Survey Times:

Saturday: 9:00 am - noon, 1:30 - 4:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am - noon, afternoon is tentative for 1:00 - 3:00 pm

There will be no traps for these surveys.



Spiders Team:
Leslie Bishop, [email protected], 812-988-2635, Team Leader
Angie Shelton, [email protected] (Saturday only)
Jeff Hyman, [email protected] (Saturday only, tentative)
Rebecca Jordan, [email protected] (Sunday only)
Marc Milne, [email protected] (Sunday only, tentative)


Survey Times:

Saturday: 8:00 pm - midnight
Sunday: Noon - 5:00 pm





Forest BeetlesTeam:
Michael Brattain, [email protected], 765-420-0847, Team Leader (Fri. & Sat)
Jeff Holland, [email protected], 765-494-7739 (Fri. & Sat)
Glene' Mynhardt, [email protected], 512-971-3422, (Sun. - tentative)


Survey Times:
Friday evening: 7:30 pm - midnight - this will be weather dependent - we will post a cancellation notice by midFriday if it will likely to rain or the temperature will be below 60 degrees that evening.

Saturday: 8:30 - 9:30 am checking traps. again weather dependent.
Sunday: 9:30 - 12:00, tentative, depends on whether Dr. Mynhardt can make it. She will be surveying for insects in general.


** Friday and Saturday Survey's will meet at the Possum Trot Trail Head and focus on traps set along the eastern perimeter of the Ecoblitz area.



Aquatic Macro-Invertebrates Team:
Ross Carlson, [email protected], 574-370-6920, Team Leader
Bob Ball, [email protected], 812-329-9067



Survey Time:
Saturday: 9:30 am to noon, afternoon tentative
One survey of the Main Branch of Honey Creek is planned near the Low Gap Trail Head.


See you this weekend!



Jeff Stant
CoChair, 2014 Morgan Monroe Back Country Area Ecoblitz


Tim Maloney
CoChair, 2014 Morgan Monroe Back Country Area Ecoblitz


********************



Jeff Stant
Executive Director
Indiana Forest Alliance
5819 Lowell Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46219


[email protected]
phone: (H) 317-359-1306; (O) 317-602-3692
mobile: 317-489-7112
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