Join the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station on Saturday, June 14, to kick off the third annual KBS BioBlitz at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. KBS naturalists and local scientists will be on hand to explore and document the diversity of life, or biodiversity, at the Sanctuary.
The BioBlitz will fun from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., split into a morning and afternoon session, with a lunch break midday.
What is a BioBlitz?
A BioBlitz is a collective, community-science effort to record as many species as possible within a designated location and time period.
The first KBS BioBlitz occurred in 2023 as part of the work of Alisha Shah, an assistant professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Integrative Biology and resident faculty member at KBS. This year’s BioBlitz is the third of five planned by Shah to help her research group, with help from the community, understand how insect diversity is changing with the local climate.
The goals of the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary BioBlitz are to:
- Collect data for KBS faculty research and foster an appreciation for biodiversity with the public through hands-on exploration and citizen science.
- Provide valuable baseline data to the KBS conservation efforts on the distribution of species on the Sanctuary property.
- Bring attention to the value of waterfowl and other organisms in the Sanctuary and to protect these resources for the education and enjoyment of all guests.
The BioBlitz is open to anyone who wants to improve their naturalist and identification knowledge and or skills; including families, community groups and nature enthusiasts. All ages are welcome, and no experience is necessary.
Schedule
Register for the morning session, the afternoon session, or both. For each session, choose the species category you’re most interested in exploring. Categories include trees, plants, bees, aquatic invertebrates, birds, butterflies and more.
The morning session begins at 9:30 a.m. with an introduction to iNaturalist, the app used to record species sightings. The BioBlitz activity begins at 10 a.m. Attendees familiar with iNaturalist can opt to attend only the BioBlitz.
The afternoon session begins at 12:30 p.m. with an iNaturalist introduction and the BioBlitz at 1 p.m. Attendees familiar with iNaturalist can opt to attend only the BioBlitz.
Attendees will be able to visit with local organizations to find out about the work they are doing, learn about upcoming events, and find out how to get involved in local conservation efforts.
Registration
Register by June 13 to save your spot in your preferred group or groups. Registration is free, and attendees get free admission to the Bird Sanctuary on June 14. Participants registering for both morning and afternoon sessions should bring a sack lunch.
The BioBlitz is also looking for educational table display exhibitors. Register a table display for your organization here.
