What is a BioBlitz event?

A “BioBlitz” is a large scale event that engages large numbers of people with biodiversity, inviting them to get directly involved in surveying and monitoring. The events have three main elements:

Length – BioBlitz events are run over 24 hours in a single location

People – BioBlitz events involve large numbers of scientists and members of the public

Focus – BioBlitz events place equal emphasis on scientific recording and public engagement

What takes place?

During a BioBlitz event scientists and members of the public work together to survey a natural space; seeking, identifying and recording as many species as possible over 24 hours. The majority of events work directly with an environmental records centre or within certain parameters in order to ensure that the data collected will have maximum scientific impact. Previous events have located between 300 and 700 unique species, depending on the site and number of people involved.

BioBlitz events in the UK – International Year of Biodiversity 

BioBlitz events originated in the USA in the mid-90’s. They have been run in the UK since 2006. In celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity events that will take place across the UK.

These events have formed a National Network in order to cooperate on a number of related national projects, and will be working together to share resources and combine their impacts. The Bristol Natural History Consortium will be promoting all events though this website.

How will the BioBlitzes work together?

The current BioBlitz events have agreed to partner on following projects:

1. Experts / Naturalists

• Thanks to support from Natural Environment Research Council we’ll be working together to help scientists, amateur naturalists and taxonomists access events across the UK

2. Volunteers

• Thanks to support from vinspired students, the student volunteering programme run by the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement, we’ll be supporting volunteers across the UK to take part in Bioblitz.

3. Schools

• Thanks to support from Airbus and a partnership with STEMNET, we’ll be helping schools across the UK access educational opportunities at BioBlitz events across the UK

4. Data and Research

• We’ll be focusing on establishing strong scientific outcomes, and a national set of data in partnership with Defra, local record centres and scientists.