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  **U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service**

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News Release

*Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge*

13751 Upper Embankment Road, Nampa, ID 83686

208/467 9278 Fax: 208 467-1019 http://deerflat.fws.gov

Date: May 24, 2006

Contact: Lauren Giebler, lauren_giebler@fws.gov, 467-9278

Susan Kain, susan_kain@fws.gov, 467-9278 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

**Public is Invited to Discover Idaho's Animals and Plants**

**at BioBlitz 2006 on June 3rd**

A BioBlitz is a 24-hour rapid survey of biological diversity. On June
3^rd^, local scientists, naturalists, and volunteers will comb Deer Flat
National Wildlife Refuge to find and identify as many different species
of plants and animals as possible. Although BioBlitzes have been held
across the country, this will be Idaho's first!

The public is invited to participate in the BioBlitz at the BioBlitz
festival on Saturday June 3^rd^. This free event will include guided
boat trips to net fish on Lake Lowell, small mammal trapping and bird
mist-netting demonstrations, as well as native plant, bird, and
butterfly walks. Visitors can also view live fish, learn to identify
insects at the Bug Tent, visit displays to learn about Idaho's animals
and plants, and participate in kids' crafts and activities.

The full schedule of event activities follows, and is also available at
http://www.fws.gov/deerflat.

> 7:30 A.M. Small mammal trapping demonstration
>
> 8:00 A.M. Bird mist-netting demonstration
>
> Boat trip to net fish
>
> 8:30 A.M. Bird walk
>
> 9:00 A.M. Boat trip to net fish         
>
> 10:00 A.M. Boat trip to net fish
>
> 10:30 A.M. Bird walk
>
> 11:00 A.M. Boat trip to net fish
>
> 11:30 A.M. Plant walk
>
> 1:30 P.M. Butterfly talk
>
> 2:45 P.M. Closing ceremony with announcement of total species count

BioBlitz central will be the refuge Visitor Center at the west end of
the Upper Dam at Lake Lowell. A map and directions are available at
http://www.fws.gov/deerflat/map.htm. All activities are free, but some
require pre-registration, so sign up now! For more information, or to
pre-register for activities, please call 208-467-9278 or e-mail
lauren_giebler@fws.gov.

\--FWS\--

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
System which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of
small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69
national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 81 ecological
services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws,
administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird
populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and
restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native
American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also
oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of
millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to
state fish and wildlife agencies.

For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit our
homepage at [http://www.fws.gov](http://www.fws.gov/)

Directions to Event:

-   Take Exit 28 off of I-84.

-   After exiting the freeway, turn south at the light.

-   Drive through Caldwell. You will follow 10th Avenue about 6 miles,
    past residential areas, farm fields, past the light at Highway 55.
    The road will "T" at Orchard Avenue (Lake Lowell will be right in
    front of you).

-   Left at stop sign onto Orchard (East). Follow Orchard about 2 miles
    to the next stop sign, Lake Avenue.

-   Right turn onto Lake Avenue (South). Follow for about 2 miles. You
    will see an earthen dam in front of you and the road curves to the
    left

-   Follow the road to the left and make a hard right turn onto the dam,
    following signs to the Visitor Center.

-   Drive across the dam and up the hill to the Visitor Center parking
    lot.