Campus BioBlitz in July
The University’s Sustainability Team are hosting our first ever BioBlitz and we are looking for volunteers to join in on our efforts to understand wildlife diversity on the University grounds. The BioBlitz is a citizen science intervention in the University’s Biodiversity Plan (published in May 2023) and aims to help us to identify and record on campus species diversity.
This year, the University’s BioBlitz will take place from 22-26 July 2024 (Monday - Friday) to celebrate the World Nature Conservation Day (on 28th of July). To participate in the BioBlitz, you would need to download the iNaturalist app and join the University’s Biodiversity Project on the app, go out on campus on any of the dates (once or multiple times) between 22-26 of July and record as many (naturally occurring - not decorative) species as you can find.
Alternatively, we will be hosting two introduction sessions to provide you with some further context by explaining our Biodiversity Plan, the basics of BioBlitz and how to use the iNaturalist app for species identification. The introduction sessions to BioBlitz will take place on the following dates:
- Monday, 22 July – 12:00-14:00 (W526)
- Wednesday, 24 July – 12:00-14:00 (W526)
To sign-up for the introduction sessions, please fill out this form.
Anyone can participate in the BioBlitz and all you need is some time, enthusiasm and a means of taking photos - phone cameras are good enough! You don’t have to be an expert on insects, birds, wild plants, mushrooms or lichens. But if you are, then that’s great! If you’re not, this is a great opportunity to develop that skill and learn about different species. Please email sustainability@gcu.ac.uk if you have any further questions.