Free Event, Rain or Shine, with Aton Forest & Great Mountain Forest at the Yale Camp in the Great Mountain Forest (enter via West Gate – see directions below)
Forest Bioblitz & Hike. Register now. Limit: 50 participants. Please join Aton Forest & Great Mountain Forest for a Norfolk Conservation Coalition event as part of the Connecticut Trails Day (CFPA) 2025
We’re inviting volunteers of all ages and experience levels to join us for a moderate hike through the forest, paired with an exciting yet casual Bioblitz, a fun, hands-on citizen-science event.
Prior to the event if possible, download iNaturalist app see Apple and Google onto your hand-held device
Prior to the event if possible, please join Project Aton Great Mountain BioBlitz & Hike 2025
www.inaturalist.org/projects/aton-great-mountain-bioblitz-hike-2025-new
A Bioblitz is a communal effort to record as many species as possible within a designated area and time period. It brings together both scientists and community members to identify and document a wide variety of life — from towering trees and colorful wildflowers to birds, insects, fungi, and other wildlife. Not only is this a fantastic way to connect more deeply with the environment, but the observations we collect also contribute valuable data to support scientific research and conservation initiatives.
There will be 4 available experts: Elizabeth Corrigan, Trees & Plants; Shelley Harms, Birds; Mike Zarfos, Trees & Plants; and Fran Zygmont, Birds. Participants will choose an expert to hike with, devote more focus to a single species type, yet collect any and all species observations.
We’ll work to explore, discover, and document as many species as we can. Together, we’ll sharpen our observation skills, learn from each other, and help protect the biodiversity that makes our forest so special. Lace up your hiking boots, bring your curiosity, and be a part of this inspiring community effort! We can’t wait to see what we’ll discover together.
3 event Leaders: please feel free to contact: Billy Gridley, Aton Forest, (917) 679-1426 atonforest@gmail.com; Mike Zarfos, Great Mountain Forest, (860) 824-8188, mike@greatmountainforest.org; Star Childs, (860) 318-6052, EECOStar@gmail.com
Directions Location: GMF Yale Camp, 41°57’48.5″N 73°16’18.0″W, Falls Village, CT 06031.
Aton Forest is a non-profit land protection organization and ecological field station, created for preservation of Natural Area Preserves (semi-managed and wild lands), operated for ecological and forest succession research in northwest Connecticut and surrounding bioregion.