Bioblitz targets invasive weeds in Auburn State Recreation Area

More than 40 citizen scientists participated in the CNPS Redbud Chapter/ASRA Bioblitz on Sunday morning, May 17. Guided by local botanists and ASRA staff, community volunteers left from 10 separate trailheads in the Auburn State Recreation Area to survey for three newly emergent invasive weeds: barbed goatgrass, eggleaf spruge and Italian thistle. The locations of the weeds were geo-tagged using the INaturalist app. Volunteers also enjoyed identifying the many hundreds of native plants and wildflowers that are native to the American River Canyon. Approximately 60 miles of trail were surveyed for the three targeted invasive weeds. At the conclusion of the Bioblitz, volunteers adjourned to Moonraker Brewing, where they uploaded iNaturalist Bioblitz data and discussed their adventurous morning on the trail. On May 30, community volunteers will return to sites selected by ASRA staff to pull, bag and remove the noxious weed infestations. To participate in this aspect of the Bioblitz, contact Emily Sobelman at emilysobelman@sierranevadaalliance.org or visit the CNPS Redbud Chapter website to register. Sobelman, Redbud Chapter invasive weed coordinator, explained, "The goal of the Bioblitz is to identify and remove invasive weeds that threaten native plant communities and the wildlife species that depend on them. In addition, we hope to make people aware that invasive weeds were introduced by human activity. We must clean our gear, pets and personal clothing of invasive weed seeds and pathogens before we enter nature areas." Invasive weeds are the single-greatest threat to native plants, locally and globally. Leslie Warren, president of the Redbud Chapter, added, "Everybody seems to have enjoyed the Bioblitz. We hope the Bioblitz will be an annual event in the ASRA and that people's awareness about the threat of invasive weeds to native plants is heightened because of the information shared through the Bioblitz. "Thank you to all the participants!"