National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy Invite Public to Experience Potomac Gorge “BioBlitz” June 24-25

Effort involves 160 scientists and researchers from across region in race against the clock to find historically under-surveyed species in Potomac River Gorge; Kratt Brothers to make special appearance at closing ceremony

Bethesda, MD—June 14, 2006—The Nature Conservancy in Maryland/DC and the National Park Service will conduct the "Potomac Gorge BioBlitz" on national park land throughout the Potomac River Gorge—the 15-mile river corridor from Great Falls to Key Bridge that includes parts of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and George Washington Memorial Parkway. The Potomac Gorge is one of the most biologically significant natural areas, both within the National Park System and in the eastern United States.

A BioBlitz is part scientific endeavor, part festival, and part outdoor classroom. One-hundred and sixty biologists and experienced naturalists will volunteer their expertise for the Potomac Gorge BioBlitz, an effort to see how many species they can find during a round-the-clock 30-hour survey period, from 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 24 through 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 25.

The information gathered during the BioBlitz should provide both the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy with a greater understanding of what management is needed to protect the biological treasures of the Potomac Gorge. In 2001, The Conservancy and NPS completed a comprehensive conservation plan for the Gorge. This plan drew heavily on existing state Natural Heritage Program data for the area, but it was limited by a lack of information on traditionally under-surveyed taxonomic groups, such as invertebrates and non-vascular plants. Invertebrates compose the majority of the world’s animal species, yet they are among the least examined. The Conservancy and NPS hope to fill this information gap in the Potomac Gorge through the BioBlitz research.

The public is invited to visit Glen Echo Park in Glen Echo, Maryland to participate in a range of family-friendly activities on Saturday, June 24, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, June 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. These activities include guided nature walks, storytelling, and opportunities to meet the researchers and see some of the species that live in the Potomac Gorge. The public is also invited to the BioBlitz closing ceremony at Glen Echo Park on Sunday, June 25 at 3 p.m. in the “Cuddle Up” pavilion, where the weekend’s species discovery tally and other noteworthy findings will be announced.

The Kratt Brothers, who host the television shows “Be the Creature” on National Geographic Channel and “Kratt’s Creatures” on PBS, will make a special appearance during the closing ceremony at 3 p.m. Creature adventurers Chris and Martin Kratt have made at least 134,631 animal friends during their travels.

Many of the 17 BioBlitz field research teams will focus their survey efforts on a number of historically under-surveyed species groups, such as land snails, flatworms, flies, bees, wasps, spiders, fungi, algae and mosses. Researchers also will be looking for some of the better-known animal groups, such as dragonflies, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians. The field biologists also will try to relocate several rare mammal species, including the Allegheny woodrat and Eastern small-footed bat—both of which have not been observed in the Potomac Gorge since the 1920s.

To get to Glen Echo Park from Maryland, take the Capital Beltway (I-495) to exit 40 (Cabin John/Clara Barton Parkway). From Virginia, take the Capital Beltway (I-495) to exit 41 East (Clara Barton/Cabin John Parkway, towards Washington). In both cases, stay in the leftmost lane of the Parkway and travel 2.5 miles. Take the exit from the Parkway marked MacArthur Boulevard/Glen Echo. Note: this is a left exit. Travel slowly on the exit and follow the sign to MacArthur Boulevard. Turn left onto MacArthur Boulevard. Go two blocks to Oxford Road (just past the Glen Echo shopping center on the right), and turn left into the Glen Echo Park parking lot.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States—including more than 64,000 acres in Maryland and Washington, DC and more than 225,000 acres in Virginia—and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific.

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA. The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. www.nps.gov