The University of North Texas student chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration and the students of the Ecology Laboratory (BIOL2141) participated in the Dallas-Fort Worth Fall 2020 Socially Distant BioBlitz on iNaturalist. Over 50 UNT students and Dr. Jaime Baxter-Slye comprised nine percent of the total 35,719 observations made during the six-day bioblitz of the DFW area. We documented 845 species, with some never identified on iNaturalist in Denton County prior to the challenge. Students were able to interact with some of the leading experts for various taxa, not only in our regional area, but global experts as well. The UNT student chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration now has over 60 active members. President Savannah Thomas and the other student officers have consistently worked to keep our students engaged via virtual opportunities during the pandemic.
Overview of the University of North Texas Pecan Creek Pollinative Prairie: an undergraduate education experience aiming to reconstruct a native, north central Texas prairie in an urban setting. Texas Plant Conservation Conference hosted by the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Restoration Session, Virtual meeting Fort Worth, Texas, August 13 - 14, 2020. Best Undergraduate Presentation Award to Clarissa M. Molina, Savannah M. Thomas, and Dr. Jaime Baxter-Slye.