Many thanks to the Rio Vista supporters and community scientists who contributed observations to the Parks for Pollinators 2026: Friends of Rio Vista project on iNaturalist. This successful collaboration with Reid Park Zoo led to the addition of 47 observations of 25 pollinators and plants to our inventory of organisms at the park. Many of these observations are considered “research grade” by the iNaturalist platform. You can see the results at the link above. Combined with the 698 observations of 238 species now available in the Friends of Rio Vista Conservation Plan project on iNaturalist, these data can guide conservation goals and an ecological management plan for the park.
and Reid Park Zoo education coordinator Katrina Shah with a young Bioblitzer at RioVista.
Photo Credit: Friends of Rio Vista.
High points in the monthlong Parks for Pollinators inventory were Friends of Rio Vista’s participation in Reid Park Zoo’s September 6 on-grounds Bioblitz event and a short information session at Rio Vista on September 13. Through tabling and conversations with Zoo and park visitors, we shared information about local pollinators and encouraged participation in the inventory. Big thanks to Katrina Shah, Kristin Ulvestad, and Karen Kierstead from Reid Park Zoo and Diane Holliday, George Hunt, and Peggy Umberger from Friends of Rio Vista for making these engagement opportunities successful!
The Parks for Pollinators 2026: Friends of Rio Vista project was part of the National Recreation and Park Association’s Parks for Pollinators campaign. Observations for this campaign were limited to the month of September—but you can contribute data for the Rio Vista conservation plan at any time by uploading photographs of plants, animals, and other organisms in the park to iNaturalist. (Watch this short video for easy instructions on how to make observations.) Your data will be automatically collected into the Friends of Rio Vista Conservation Plan project.