NTMN April 1st Chapter Meeting: Relevancy of Citizen Science: iNaturalist and the story of urban wildlife

April 1, 2026, 6:30 socializing, 7:00 start. This month’s speaker is Sam Kieschnick. Come for the meeting, stay after for black-lighting!

How can we tell the story of wildlife living with us in the urban ecosystem? What relevancy are some dots on a map? Is technology taking us away from nature? In this program, we’ll talk all about it! We will explore the ways that iNaturalist and citizen science has led to new scientific discoveries, how it has guided public land management, and how we’ve used it to learn more about the flora and fauna all around us. We can use this tool to engage others with the story of urban wildlife. Attend this presentation in person as we’ll have live animals to examine and for those meeting  in person we’ll cap the evening with black-lighting to see who’s flying after dark.

Black-lighting after will be at the Brookhaven pollinator garden, an easy walk from H Building!  Come see the night creatures of spring.  It’s fun!

Zoom Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ebPOn7-qRnWyiW6dPku1EQ

If you are in the DFW area, join us in North Dallas at Dallas College Brookhaven Campus, Building H, Room 125.  (Brookhaven Campus map).

Schedule:
6:30 Camera Roll and Socializing
7:00 Introduction and Announcements
7:20 Featured Presentation
8:45 Adjournment

Bring Food and Snacks to share!

About the speaker: Sam Kieschnick is an urban wildlife biologist with TPWD serving the east side of the DFW metroplex. He previously worked as a nature educator with the City of Mansfield at Oliver Nature Park, as a naturalist at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, as a science interpreter with the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, as a botanist with BRIT, and as an instructor at Weatherford College. He has a master’s degree from Tarleton State University studying the genetics of pocket gophers. As an urban wildlife biologist, Sam’s focus is on three a’s: awareness, appreciation, and action.