Ok, here’s the final call. Please join us at The Nature Conservancy’s Platte River Prairies this Saturday. The weather is going to be spectacular and we’ve got some fantastic session leaders lined up.

The full schedule and directions to the site can be found here.

We’re asking for RSVPs via email (see the schedule/directions) so we have an idea how many people to prepare for. If you decide to come at the last minute and don’t RSVP, come anyway. We’d love to have you.

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Why you should come:

#1. I mean, it’s free. How many free events do you get to attend? Not enough, that’s for sure.

#2. Don’t you like butterflies? Everyone likes butterflies. We’ll not only have butterflies, we’ll have Neil Dankert to identify them for you and tell you all about them.

#3. Maybe you don’t like butterflies, but you’re a huge fan of leaf beetles. If so, good for you. Don’t let anyone yuck your yum. Julie Peterson will be at the field day to talk to you about leaf beetles and any other invertebrate you catch with the nets we’ll let you borrow.

#4. How are you at plant identification? Would you like to be better? Sarah Bailey from Prairie Plains Resource Institute can help. She can also talk about lots of other aspects of plant and prairie ecology. See if you can stump her with a hard question. Good luck.

#5. Have you ever seen a plains pocket mouse up close? Did you know their cheeks are lined with fur? On the INSIDE? What’s that about? Mike Schrad will tell you. He’ll probably catch some pocket mice too – in nice safe boxes, from which he’ll then release them – and you can see what all the fuss is about.

#6. Our Hubbard Fellows are the best. Jojo and Sanketh will be leading a bird hike early in the morning and then taking people out to harvest seed later in the morning. You can come do our work for us!! It’s fun, though. After that, Jojo and Sanketh will be hanging around the rest of the day and will be very happy to meet you.

#7. I’ll be there. Say hi when you arrive! More importantly, Cody Miller, the preserve manager for the Platte River Prairies will also be there. Ask him how he controls invasive species or why he’s having our neighbor cut hay in weird patterns in some of our prairies. Or ask him about quantum physics. It’s not his specialty but it might be fun to ask him anyway.

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If you don’t know anything about prairies, that’s a perfect reason to come. We’ve got lots of people who will find great joy in introducing you to this amazing ecosystem.

If you love prairies and want to learn as much as you can, that’s also a perfect reason. See above.

If you’re skeptical about prairies, or think they’re just a massive conspiracy designed to support “Big Wildflower” I’ll bet you’re fun at parties. Guess, what? You’re welcome, too. Just be nice, ok?

For those of you who aren’t able to travel, you can also join in the fun. Anytime between 7am and 2:30pm Central Time, walk outside, plug your ears, close your eyes and whisper, “I love prairies.” See what happens next.

(Let me know if something happens. Wouldn’t that be amazing??)

Anyway, I really do hope you can come. It won’t be the same event with you there.