Photo courtesy of Becky Hale / National Geographic Teams of families, school groups, youth groups and biologists participate in the 2007 BioBlitz at Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. This year, the National Park Service and National Geographic Society will host the 24-hour Santa Monica Mountains BioBlitz, May 30-31.

Field biologists and kids have a lot in common.

They both get really excited about the smallest of things, like a snail or bug crawling across a trail, biologist Ray Sauvajot said.

And next month, both will have the chance to share their enthusiasm for the outdoors in a 24-hour survey of all things wild in the first public biological inventory of the Santa Monica Mountains.

The National Park Service, in cooperation with the National Geographic Society, is putting on BioBlitz, an event designed to give children and adults exposure to the fieldwork scientists do while instilling a sense of excitement and passion for the natural world.

Positions are open for 2,400 people to work alongside biologists around the clock as they trap birds, band owls, monitor lizards, count flowers, net fish, photograph bugs and conduct other activities — 200 in all.

"I really hope this will help raise awareness about the biodiversity that is close to home," said Sauvajot, the chief of planning, science and resource management with the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Opportunity to see and do

"A lot of people don't realize these natural resources are out there. This is a good opportunity to see that firsthand and do it with cutting-edge scientists."

The event starts at noon May 30 and continues around the clock until noon the next day. Volunteers who want to work with scientists and experience the mountains' diversity are encouraged to sign up early, as space is limited, and thousands are expected to show up. Sauvajot said it's a good idea to check out the list of activities and decide which one you want to do before going through the registration process.

This is the second year the Park Service and National Geographic have teamed up to do a BioBlitz.

The inaugural one was in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C., and one is planned annually for the next eight years, leading up to the National Park centennial in 2016.

The goal is to have BioBlitzes in urban parks, where the public can easily get to the bugs, birds and trees, said John Francis, vice president of research conservation and exploration with National Geographic.

Lasting impressions left

"There is an issue of getting kids in particular to spend time outdoors," he said. "There is a tendency to be housebound and computer-bound, and the BioBlitz will help get kids more exposed to the natural world."

Last year, he saw kids catching bugs and standing beside scientists as they called owls by using recordings of owl sounds.

He said he thinks such experiences leave an impression that goes far beyond what happens over the course of a weekend.

"I hope the next time they see a patch of grass in the city, they know there are some bugs in it, and they know there is much more to it," Francis said.

Last year, about 1,000 people showed up, but Francis is expecting 5,000 to 10,000 at this year's event.

So far, about 1,400 children have signed up through their schools. After the remaining 2,400 volunteer positions are filled, other sessions might open up on the day of the event, Sauvajot said. About 200 scientists have volunteered their time for the round-the-clock survey.

Paramount Ranch is start

There are five places where people will meet and disperse from, but the main staging area will be Paramount Ranch, where displays, live animals and exhibits will be offered for those who don't want to catch critters themselves.

Beyond just inspiring students, Sauvajot hopes the day will motivate scientists to do more research in the mountains, which have a mix of mountain lions and endangered species as well as million-dollar mansions and minimalls.

The event could also get people interested in holding BioBlitzes of their own, exploring their own backyards and taking inventory of the natural world around them, Sauvajot said.

"It would be really neat if a few kids involved in this get excited about science and biology and maybe someday they become the spider experts or conservation experts that we need to protect this diversity over the long term," he said.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/field/projects/bioblitz.html