PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Marine Science Center will stage a citizen science BioBlitz and serve as a launching point for an annual cleanup of area beaches Saturday for Earth Day.
People are invited to participate in both the annual Washington CoastSavers Beach Cleanup and the BioBlitz.
Those who volunteer to pick up trash and debris along beaches in the Port Townsend area will check in at 9:30 a.m. at the marine science center museum portico in Fort Worden.
Then they will head out to clean area beaches at Fort Worden State Park, Fort Flagler State Park, Fort Townsend State Park, Chetzemoka Park and North Beach.
The debris receiving station will close at 1:30 p.m.
The Port Townsend Food Coop is providing $5 gift cards to be used the same day for all registered Beach Cleanup volunteers.
Olympic Disposal will provide free trash and recycling services for the event.
Beach Cleanup volunteers are encouraged to register early at tinyurl.com/PDN-PTbeachcleanup.
Also starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, citizen science fans will check in at the museum classroom to undertake a BioBlitz — documenting as many living species as possible within a 24-hour period around the marine science center and Fort Worden State Park.
Before arriving, participants asked to download the free iNaturalist app onto their smartphone and create an account.
A guide to getting started with iNaturalist is available at www.i naturalist.org/pages/getting+started.
Once at Fort Worden, they will record all living things seen in a 24-hour period, including birds, mammals, fish, invertebrates, trees, flowers, grasses and more.
Observations can be made with a smartphone or with a camera that can upload photos.
People of all ages and skill levels are welcome to register and participate in the Bioblitz.
The marine science center will show a live online feed in the museum to track the number of species identified.
More details about the BioBlitz are at tinyurl.com/PDN-BioBlitz.
For the latest information about the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, visit www.ptmsc.org, the marine science center’s Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram.
