The band on the main stage of the Festival is winding
down, and we’re already contemplating the next annual National
Geographic-National Park Service BioBlitz. It’s planned for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, a
15,000-acre urban park accessible to Chicagoans via commuter train.

Indiana Dunes boasts 15 miles of Lake
Michigan shoreline, plentiful undulating sand dunes, swamps,
prairie, and forest land.

According to Carl Sandburg, “Indiana Dunes are to
the Midwest what the Grand Canyon is to the
West.” Costa Dylan, Superintendent of Indiana Dunes, agrees. “Did you
know that there are more varieties of orchids at our park than in the state of Florida?” he asks.
“I’m looking forward to adapting BioBlitz to our diverse, fragile
ecosystem.”

We are too. And you’re invited.