Millennials + Gen Z: Bioblitz nature walk @ Powell Butte

Join Kristina W (Hi! I'm a new volunteer outings leader for Bird Alliance of Oregon 👋🏻) to explore Powell Butte Nature Park with other millennials/xennials and Gen Z folks and take part in the annual City Nature Challenge bioblitz.

This will be a slower-paced, beginner-friendly walk where we'll stop and smell the roses, so to speak — and snap a photo with our phones or camera to figure out exactly what kind of native rose it is.

This event is reserved for people who identify as millennials/xennials or Gen Z, or were born after ~1975. (Why? I attended several millennial-specific events with Bird Alliance of Oregon/Portland Audubon in 2019 and absolutely loved them, and building community with fellow bird lovers in similar-ish life stages. The main reason I became an outings leader was so I could bring them back.)

What is the City Nature Challenge?
It's an annual "bioblitz" where people around the world document the plants and wildlife in their cities, just by adding photos (or audio recordings) with the date and location to an app/website I absolutely love called iNaturalist. That data is used by scientists, conservationists and the community to better understand urban biodiversity and how different species are doing.

What to expect:
We'll explore some of the trails on Powell Butte and stop to check out whatever cool plants and wildlife we see along the way. See something cool over there? We can head that way next.

• Pacing: Slow with frequent stops
• Distance: Up to 5 miles, but probably more like 2-3
• Elevation: Up to 500 feet (if we hike down the butte and back up), but probably more like 200
• Amenities: There's a restroom near the parking lot and visitor center where we'll be meeting.
• Public transit: TriMet bus #9 to SE Powell & 162nd
• Trails: From the visitor center, there is a mix of paved and gravel paths that are relatively wide. (If you'd like to stay on the paved paths, let me know and we can totally do that.)
• What might we see? Based on the data already in iNaturalist, here are a few of the many things we may see this time of year at Powell Butte: various wildflowers in bloom, American kestrel, butterflies, Lazuli bunting, all kinds of insects, mountain and Western bluebirds, interesting fungi and lichen, Western kingbird, native snails, Say's phoebe, salamanders and frogs... and we may very well see something that hasn't been recorded in this park yet.

What to bring:

• Your phone. (If you'd like to participate in the bioblitz, I'd recommend downloading the iNaturlist app and creating your account beforehand just to make your life easier.)
• Water bottle
• Whatever you need for the weather: sunscreen, sun hat, rain coat, etc.
• Optional: If you have binoculars or a camera with a zoom/macro lens you'd like to bring, go for it.

Any questions? Comment below or send me/Kristina W a message.