This specific event is centered around discovering biodiversity and observing nature in Richards Park and Brady Creek to develop a database of plant and animal population distributions. It is also to educate participants about the UCRA best management practice (BMP) demonstration project installed to monitor stormwater runoff into Brady Creek. Monitoring site tours will be available throughout the event by the UCRA staff. These BMPs have been implemented to improve the DO (dissolved oxygen) level in the currently impaired Brady Creek, to a level that is fully supportive of the aquatic life use criteria. The event will be held in conjunction with the Keep Brady Beautiful Clean-Up event.

Volunteers will be responsible for guiding participants in biological surveying, microscope operation, and data collection. Several activities are available to participants for which volunteers can sign up to lead or assist. The activities are as follows:

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• Pre-event set up: setting up tables, chairs, trashcans, and signs, unloading truck

• Water Walkin’: leading small groups in species identification and observation on trails, assisting in the use of smartphone apps such as iNaturalist & Seek

• Microbe Mania: assisting in water sample collection, microscope slide preparation, the use of microscopes, and aquatic microorganism species identification

• Sit-n-Spy: leading small groups in species identification and observation in a single spot, assisting in the use of smartphone apps such as iNaturalist & Seek

• Post-event clean up; taking down tables, chairs, picking up trash, loading truck

Although not required, volunteers are welcome to stay throughout the entire event. It is preferred for volunteers to have an iNaturalist account and a smartphone with iNaturalist App and Seek App to assist with species identification and data collection, or confident knowledge of naturally occurring species of plants and animals in this region. Volunteers will be required to submit the attached volunteer application form to Lexi Woods at lexiw@ucratx.org.