TUPELO, MS: In celebration of the National Park Service’s National Park Week, the Natchez Trace Parkway will host a BioBlitz and Wildlife Festival at the Tupelo Visitor Center on Saturday, April 22, 2017, from 9:30 am-4:00 pm. The BioBlitz and Wildlife Festival provide a great opportunity to celebrate wildlife and biodiversity in our community. National Park Week is about making great connections, exploring amazing places, discovering open spaces, enjoying affordable vacations, and enhancing America’s best idea–the national parks!
A BioBlitz is an opportunity for people to get outside and enjoy the Parkway’s natural spaces. It is also an opportunity for participants to go on discovery walks with scientists. On these walks, scientists record as many species as possible in a chosen location. The public is invited to assist the biologists and to learn more about the local plants and animals.
The Wildlife Festival will happen simultaneously at the Parkway Visitor Center. Visitors can learn more about Mississippi’s biodiversity by visiting activity and exhibit booths that include live fish, hunter education, wild mammals of Mississippi, wildlife rehabilitation, endangered bats, Mississippi black bears, pollinators, how to build a birdhouse, animal Olympics, and more.
Award winning educator Terry Vandeventer will present “Live Native Snake” programs again this year. This year’s celebration also includes the following new presenters and programs: Mississippi Museum of Natural Science’s Conservation Educator Deb Waz presents “Live Native Reptiles;” Mississippi State Assistant Extension Professor Leslie Burger presents “Mammals of Mississippi;” and the Southeastern Raptor Center presents “Live Native Raptors.” For specific presentation times, please contact the Parkway Visitor Center. These programs are appropriate for all ages.
This event is free to the public presented by the Natchez Trace Parkway, the Mississippi State University Extension Service, and the Mississippi Geographic Alliance. The Parkway Visitor Center is located at milepost 266 on the Natchez Trace Parkway, near Tupelo, Mississippi. For additional information, please call (800) 305-7417.
