The Potomac Valley Audubon Society invites members and friends to come to the State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy Experimental Farm on Thursday, Nov, 13 for a walk and an afternoon presentation about the eMammal Citizen Science Project.

Anyone with an interest is welcome to participate.

The walk will include an exploration of the Aroboretum’s grounds. It will start at the Blandy Gift Shop at 11:30 a.m. and last until 1 p.m. It will be led by Master Naturalist Debbie Maiorano, and it will be free.

The presentation will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. and be given by Travis Forrester, of the Smithsonian Institution’s Conservation Biology Program. It will provide an overview of the e-Mammal project, which links citizen volunteers with researchers at the Smithsonian Institution and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences to document mammals throughout the mid-Atlantic region, and soon, the entire country. Volunteers place infrared-activated cameras in parks and other natural areas to collect photos that help answer questions about mammal distribution and abundance and assist conservation efforts.

Those who wish to attend this session must register beforehand on the Arboretum website at blandy.virginia.edu/our-foundation/online_payments and pay a fee of $10 (for members of the Arboretum’s Friends group) or $12 (for non members).

Blandy Farm is located in Boyce, Virginia, off Route 50/17, a mile east of the intersection with Route 340.