Washington DCMay 16, 2009
With less than three hours to go, the species count continues to rise. New additions will continue well past noon today, as scientists bring specimens back to their labs for further analysis and identification. There have already been tantalizing reports from the field that previously unknown plant and insect species have been identified within park boundaries.
Behind the species count are the human numbers, statistics that provide a window into the planning, time, and incredible energy behind this event:
- 145 scientists
- 176 inventory teams
- 100 National Park Service staff
- More than 2,000 K-12 students
- More than 1,300 public volunteers signed up for teams
- More than 100 logistics volunteers
- More than 50 photographers
- 66 Portapotties
Photograph by Ford Cochran