Tell me about your bioregion. What is that, you ask? According to OneEarth.org, it’s “any geographical area defined not by political boundaries but by ecological systems.” If you’ve lived in the same place for a long time or you spend a lot of time outdoors, you might have a good idea of what bioregion, or ecoregion, you live in.
For example, I live in Fountain Hills, Arizona, on the eastern edge of the Phoenix Area. I know that I live in the Sonoran Desert, which I had assumed was my bioregion. But just to be sure, I looked it up on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ecoregions maps.
There are three levels of maps that help you zero in on your specific bioregion. At level I, Fountain Hills was categorized as “North American Desert.” At level II, it fell under “Warm Deserts.” (I write this while my air conditioner chugs away to protect me from the 109° outdoor temperatures.) And at level III, it fell under “Sonoran Desert.”
Yes, I knew that.
But for some, it might not be so obvious. My family in Spokane, Washington, for example, lives at the very edge of the Northwestern Forested Mountains, Western Cordillera, Columbia Mountains/Northern Rockies, a bioregion that stretches into Canada, northern Idaho, and western Montana. Yet, just a few miles from their house, the bioregion shifts to North American Deserts, Cold Deserts, Columbia Plateau.
So, what’s your bioregion? You can identify it HERE by going through the EPA’s three maps. I’m a map geek, so I thought it was a fun activity.
Identifying your bioregion can lead to a fascinating path of discovery about the place where you live. But since it’s such a huge topic, we’re going to do what we do best at Night Sky Tourist and focus on the nocturnal aspects of your bioregion.
Instead of retreating inside our will-lit homes every night or wasting away on mind-numbing scrolling, spend a night or two every week getting to know the place around you. Go into your backyard, walk around your neighborhood and your downtown area, go to the edge of the city and into the parks. Once you’ve gotten to know those more familiar areas better at night, move beyond town to discover the less disturbed, more natural areas.
The following questions will help you take a deep dive into the place where you live. Choose questions that interest you and see how far you can go in investigating the answers. Some of them might be easy to find out, while others might take many nights of observing.
NIGHT SKY
Since we’re primarily visual creatures, let’s begin with the easiest thing to see in the dark…the night sky. It takes about thirty minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark, so don’t rush this part. If you need a little light to help with safety, use a red flashlight to preserve your night vision.
Here are some interesting things you can investigate about the night sky that will be specific to where you live:
- How high is the ecliptic in the summer, and how low in the winter?
- Where is the Big Dipper in each season?
- How high is the North Star?
- What is the Bortle scale where you live? If you can’t find any documentation, you can determine it yourself by using the information HERE.
- What are the main sources of light pollution in your bioregion?
- Where does the sun rise and set on your closest horizon? This changes from month to month, so find a way to track it over a year.
INSECTS
Have you ever thought about what nocturnal insects live in your bioregion? There are probably thousands of species!
- What nocturnal insects are at work, and what are they pollinating?
- What insects can you hear at night? Anything other than the obvious crickets or cicadas?
- What kind of moths visit your backyard? It’s easy to get a glimpse of the variety. Check out this Night Sky Tourist episode, where you might fall in love with moths and find out about a fun activity to attract them for observation.
- Are there fireflies or glowworms? Not all fireflies flash, so you might be surprised at what’s out there. Learn more about fireflies and the impact of light pollution and habitat destruction on this episode of the Night Sky Tourist podcast.
- Do you have scorpions in your area? Take a walk with a UV/black light. I don’t recommend you do this in your own yard but hunt for them in the neighborhood. They glow under a black light.
WINGED ANIMALS
The day birds and songbirds (most songbirds, anyway) snuggle into their nests and sleep for the night. But there are some interesting species of winged critters who rule the night.
- Most places have owls, but what kind live in your bioregion? What shape are their faces, and how does that help them at night?
- What kind of bats flit around your bioregion? Is there a concentration of them near you? It might not be as dramatic in number as the bats that swoop out from the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, reaching up to 1.5 million in the summer. I like to watch bats chasing bugs in my backyard at twilight, but I have no idea where they roost.
- Are there other winged nocturnal critters in your bioregion?
MAMMALS
Did you know that most mammals are nocturnal? What kind of nocturnal animals are in your bioregion?
- Most places have coyotes, but do you have raccoons or badgers? What about pine martens, which are so elusive that most people never see them? Most of their activities are in trees, but they hunt on the ground at night.
- Are there any mammals unique to your bioregion? For example, javelinas live in the Sonoran Desert and love to rummage around the neighborhoods at night.
PLANTS
Most plants rest in the evening, and trees are known for sleeping. But some plants keep the night shift when important processes take place. In the Sonoran Desert, saguaro cacti finish their photosynthesis process in the dark.
- What kind of night-blooming plants do you have in your bioregion? Are there any you can plant in your yard?
- What features do your night-blooming plants have? For example, do they have white blooms? Are their blooms heavily scented?
- What kind of pollinators do your night bloomers attract?
DOCUMENT YOUR OBSERVATIONS & DISCOVERIES
Nature journaling is an excellent way to gather your experiences outside at night. Think of it as your own research book or field guide. When you sketch something you’ve seen or find words to describe it, it forces you to slow down, to look closer, and to notice more. You can jot down things that surprised or interested you, along with questions that you can research later. Before long, you’ll be a local “expert” on your bioregion.
TAKE IT FURTHER
You probably won’t be able to gain all the knowledge you want by observing alone. Here are ways you can go further in learning about your bioregion:
- Visit your local library and ask for nature guides for your area
- Visit nature centers and visitor centers of nearby state and national parks
- Visit an observatory, planetarium, or science center in your area
- Attend classes or guided nature walks with a local conservancy or nature group
- Camp in a campground or your own backyard
