Educators, students, families, youth groups, and the general public are invited to participate in the Great Lakes BioBlitz!
What is the Great Lakes BioBlitz?
A bioblitz is a community science effort to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible. This bioblitz focuses on the entire Great Lakes Basin US and Canada. It runs for four weeks.
Who should participate?
Everyone! Teachers, educators, students, youth groups, individuals, and families.
Why should I participate?
A bioblitz provides a way to record biodiversity, the variety of wild living things found in a given area. For the Great Lakes BioBlitz, residents of the states and provinces in the Great Lakes region work together to collect as many observations as possible. Biodiversity data can contribute to research and conservation efforts.
When?
- Starts: Earth Day, Friday, April 22, 2023
- Ends: Friday, May 20, 2023
- The Great Lakes BioBlitz will remain open for submissions from April 22 to May 20, but you can join in the fun any day! Take an afternoon to explore and document some plant or wildlife in an area, or pick a location to return to weekly, or set a goal to find something new every day–-there are many ways to participate.
Where?
The bioblitz will take place in yards and other outdoor spaces all across Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and the Great Lakes states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
How do I participate in the bioblitz?
- Visit www.inaturalist.org on your computer, or download the free iNaturalist app onto your mobile device.
- Create an account.
- Become a member of the Great Lakes BioBlitz project.
- Start making and posting observations. You can record audio or take photos.
- Check out and help identify observations made by participants all across the Great Lakes region.
Want to learn more great ways to use the Great Lakes Bioblitz with educators, teachers, and students?
Visit the Great Lakes BioBlitz Resources webpage for more information about the project and educator resources for engaging youth in this wonderful learning experience!
Want to learn more about a community science project that uses iNaturalist data?
Register for and attend the 2023 Great Lakes BioBlitz Workshop featuring guest scientist Dr. David Drake of the University of Wisconsin Urban Canid Project!
Join us April 12, at 4:00PM to 5:30PM CDT, on Zoom to learn about how Dr. Drake and his team are using iNaturalist to better manage urban coyotes and red foxes. The UW Urban Canid Project has been studying urban coyotes and red foxes in Madison, WI since 2014. It uses iNaturalist to collect the public’s sightings of coyotes and red foxes in the Madison area. His presentation will describe the type of iNaturalist data collected and how the information is used for improved urban canid management.
Questions about iNaturalist or the Great Lakes Bioblitz?
Contact Anne Moser at akmoser@aqua.wisc.edu or (608) 262 3069.
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