2021 Bioblitz attendees explore and support D Ranch Preserve
Conservation Florida’s very own piece of wild Florida, D Ranch Preserve, was opened to the public on May 22 for the organization’s annual bioblitz.
Driven by curiosity and the love of nature, more than 50 participants traveled from Tallahassee, Tampa, and beyond to the 476-acre preserve to hear from subject matter experts and log local biodiversity.
D Ranch Preserve is teeming with life and on May 22, with eager explorers as well. The group recorded 256 observations on iNaturalist of at least 87 different species during the four-hour bioblitz.
Some of the species observed were: eastern coral snake, dusky pygmy rattlesnake, southern black racer, oak toads, blue dasher, sand blackberries, sunshine mimosas, gopher tortoises, tarflower, American beautyberry, and yellow milkwort.
The information gathered during the bioblitz will not only help Conservation Florida learn how to best manage D Ranch Preserve, but it will also contribute to the collection of scientific data through iNaturalist.
To learn more about the species documented during our D Ranch Preserve bioblitz event, please check out our project on iNaturalist!
Trekking the Trails
Photo by Will Guensler
The morning began with a difficult decision, take the bright and early birding tour or go gopher tortoise spotting.
Birding experts, Deborah Green, Peter Kleinhenz, and Heather Levy led a group through the preserve and identified the songs of a Carolina Wren, spotted sandhill cranes flying above, and more!
Neal Halstead led his group to several gopher tortoise burrows and used a camera to peek inside them in search of gopher tortoises. Not only did they find tortoises, but gopher frogs and wolf spiders as well! More than 350 species benefit from gopher tortoises and their burrows. Read more here about why this makes them a keystone species!
Next, participants hiked with Dr. Marc Behrendt looking for hidden reptiles and amphibians. Luckily, an eastern coral snake and a Florida bark scorpion were spotted in enough time for those nearby to back away!
Photo by Will Guensler.
Marcie Clutter took a group through trails to identify as many plants as possible. Some of the highlights were Florida prickly-pear cactus, tarflower, and scrub roseling.
Finally, Conservation Florida staff Adam Bass and Lillian Dinkins took those who were not exploring and bioblitzing on their own through the unique habitats of D Ranch Preserve to show guests the importance of conservation and property management.
Read more about D Ranch preserve here.
Special Thanks
Thank you to our volunteers and participants who helped make this special bioblitz a success. We hope to welcome you back to D Ranch Preserve very soon!
Photo by Conservation Florida staff.
Support D Ranch Preserve
Conservation Florida plans to open D Ranch Preserve in its full glory as a public preserve that is protected forever. Join us in our efforts to support the conservation and exploration of wild Florida land.
Please consider making a donation to fund Conservation Florida’s land management and public opening of D Ranch Preserve so that it may be enjoyed by all for years to come!
About Conservation Florida
Conservation Florida is a statewide accredited land trust with a mission to save Florida’s natural and agricultural landscapes for future generations. Our conservation projects support Florida’s native plants and wildlife, fresh water, conservation corridors, family farms and ranches, the economy and nature-based recreation. Since our founding in 1999, Conservation Florida has led the way in strategic and evidence-based land protection and has saved over 30,000 acres of critical habitat through acquisition, facilitation and incubation of conservation projects.
We save land by developing conservation strategies, exploring funding sources and purchasing or accepting donations of land and conservation easements. Our other services include providing expertise to guide landowners through the land protection process, serving as a trusted community partner to support statewide land conservation and promoting land conservation through effective education and advocacy. Our vision is large-scale, and we are 100% committed to conservation in the state of Florida – for nature, for people, forever!