BioBlitz and Native Seed Workshop Volunteer Event - Appleton Farms

Overview: 

The Trustees are hosting a Bioblitz and Native Seed Workshop on Saturday October 24, 9am-12pm, at Appleton Farms, (Ipswich MA). We are seeking volunteers and community members to assist us in censusing the plants and animals at this beautiful property. Participants can also choose to attend a native seed workshop where they will learn about agroecology at Appleton Farms, harvest seed, and have the chance to take home seed packets of their own! We encourage you to sign up for and participate in both offerings to engage with the different parts of the property!  

If you would prefer to make observations on a self-guided hike, we have a “self-guided session” that you can sign up for below as well. 

Participants will meet Trustees Education staff & volunteers at Appleton Farms at 9am October 24. After a brief introduction to the property, the project, and to iNaturalist, participants will split into their groups of either Biodiversity monitoring or the Native Seed Workshop. At 10:30 the sessions will rotate, and participants will have the opportunity to switch to the other activity.

*If you have children under the age of 6 please register for the "self guided" session. We will have a craft table with a scavenger hunt and kid-friendly field guides for kids to engage with the biodiversity at their own pace.

 
Sessions and Offerings

Participants can attend the biodiversity and workshop sessions of their choosing. The offerings are listed below: 

Native Seed Workshop

Session one – 9:00-10:30am

Session two – 10:30-12:00pm

Biodiversity Hike 

Session one – 9:00-10:30am 

Session two – 10:30-12:00pm 

Qualifications   
We invite naturalists and interested community members of all ages and abilities to join us! No previous plant/animal ID experience is required. Interest in biodiversity and agroecology is a plus! 

Biodiversity monitoring volunteers should:   

• Have access to a smartphone and have iNaturalist downloaded and an account created prior to the BioBlitz event (training on how to use iNaturalist will be provided on-site).    

• Familiarity with eBird will also be a bonus! 

• Be able to traverse uneven terrain and be comfortable being outdoors in variable weather conditions.    

• Have reliable transportation to the event site and come prepared for the day, bringing a fully charged smartphone, snacks and water as needed, and wearing closed-toed shoes and long pants.  

Arrival & Check in: 

• The event takes place at Appleton Farms, park and meet at the farmhouse/offices. 

• Arrive at the start of your shift to get oriented and link up with fellow volunteers to head out on the trails 

• If you can't arrive at the start of your shift, it's ok to arrive anytime in the event window 

Directions & Parking: 

• Navigate to 219 County Road/Route 1A, Ipswich, MA 01938  

• Turn off 1A at yellow Appleton Farms sign  

• Take a right at fork/gate house to follow signs to "Farmhouse/Offices"  

• Park at white farmhouse or along the road before the farmhouse if the lot is full 

• You are welcome to park at other entrances, but no staff will be there to greet/orient 

What to wear/bring: 

• Dress for the weather  

• Trails are muddy - boots are recommended 

• Bring: binoculars, your favorite field guides/ID books, snacks, water, extra layers 

For the Biodiversity Monitoring Hike: 

Please download the iNaturalist & eBird apps in advance, make an account, and try out using them. Attached is more information on the apps.  

A Community for Naturalists · iNaturalist 

eBird - Discover a new world of birding... 

Orientation meeting recording: if you are new to biodiversity monitoring, we recommend you watch the recording to prepare for the event. Orientation/information will also be provided at the start of your shift. 

https://thetrustees.zoom.us/rec/share/Dd_84gzcqQ0GogF9Jnz0m9CFPcmxXfr_hHbNcfQmsgHzdH439mibT_VdQxhpzeq1.SV-12Uyf6N-xjHD9?startTime=1775599394000  
Passcode: J?zH#2j7 

For more information about this event contact Emma Havens at emma.havens@thetrustees.org 

What's in our nature? Resiliency. Community. Discovery. Creativity. 
 
Join The Trustees as a volunteer to help protect and take care of the Commonwealth’s greatest treasures and to make nature and the outdoors accessible for all, forever. 
 

To explore other volunteer opportunities, visit our volunteer page at http://volunteer.thetrustees.org/ 
  
More about The Trustees 
Founded by landscape architect Charles Eliot in 1891, The Trustees has, for more than 125 years, been a catalyst for important ideas, endeavors, and progress in Massachusetts. As a steward of distinctive and dynamic places of both historic and cultural value, The Trustees is the nation’s first preservation and conservation organization, and its landscapes and landmarks continue to inspire discussion, innovation, and action today as they did in the past. We are a nonprofit, supported by members, friends and donors and our 116 sites are destinations for residents, members, and visitors alike, welcoming millions of guests annually. www.thetrustees.org. 
 
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We are committed to providing a welcoming environment for all. Together, alongside our partners and volunteers we are creating inclusive spaces of community for people of all backgrounds to enjoy and preserving these open spaces for everyone, forever. We are committed to inclusion across race, gender, age, religion, identity, ability, and experience. 
 
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