FY26 National Public Lands Day: BioBlitz

Join staff at Homestead National Historical Park’s Education Center on Saturday, September 26, to celebrate National Public Lands Day. The park will honor America's public lands by exploring local biodiversity through three unique guided nature walks:

• 8:00 a.m. – Bird Walk
• 10:00 a.m. – Plant Walk
• 12:30 p.m. – Insect Walk

Each walk lasts approximately one hour. Park staff will demonstrate how to use community science apps like eBird and iNaturalist to document observations. The data collected by volunteers helps determine what species live in Homestead’s prairies and woodlands. Identifying what lives on the land—and tracking how it changes over time—is the crucial first step to effective land management.

Documenting biodiversity is a powerful way to celebrate National Public Lands Day. According to the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), the event is a "...collective act of care that strengthens our connection to the landscape and to each other. Through service and celebration, we acknowledge our place as custodians of these shared treasures, ensuring the American tradition of public lands endures for those who will inherit them."

Event Details and Preparation:

• Clothing: Dress in layers. Wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.
• Protection: Ticks and mosquitoes are active in the park. Bug repellent is highly recommended.