Frequently Asked Questions
It's fair to say that the word 'BioBlitz' is not one you generally come across, so it's completely understandable if you might be scratching your head at this point. To help combat this we've put together a few questions and answers that might help shed a little light. Have a look at this video from the first Bristol BioBlitz held in 2009 at Ashton Court Estate for an idea how the events work :
Have a look at our fantatstic BristolBioBlitz Blog which was set up by the Wildscreen media team during last years Bristol Biolitz.
What is a BioBlitz?
A BioBlitz is an exciting 30-hour FREE event where scientists, naturalists, students, members of public, schools and community groups work together to find and identify as much wildlife as possible within a specific site, this years will be held in Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol, BS4 3EW.
Why do a BioBlitz?
A BioBlitz is an unrivalled opportunity to bring people from all walks of life together, enabling them to discover and experience what nature has to offer. Another important aim of a BioBlitz is for the public to understand the diversity of wildlife living on their doorstep. It's an ideal opportunity to establish the degree of biodiversity within the site whilst giving everyone the chance to experience nature, learn, have fun, be inspired from experts and understand why wildlife recording is important.
Who can participate?
Anyone! A BioBlitz brings together adults and children from all backgrounds and expertise, as no existing knowledge about nature or wildlife is needed to be able take part. Volunteers, students, naturalists, families, school groups and everyone in between can come together in this giant biodiversity event. By working alongside one another we can bring the skills and enthusiasm needed to create a real scientific survey in which lots of people are inspired to learn more about wildlife.
Where will it take place?
The 2012 BioBlitz will be held at Arnos Vale Cemetery on the 25/26 May. Arnos Vale is a fantastic 45 acre site south of the city center and is rich in over 150 years of Bristol's history. Arnos Vale Cemetery is a quiet place of remembrance. It is also a spectacular landscape with many listed buildings and monuments of architectural as well as local interest and a haven for wildlife in an urban setting. Not only is the site rich in heritage, it is also abundant in wildlife and is a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI). On Friday, May 25th the event will be dedicated to local schools and on Saturday, May 26th it will be open to the public.
I'm interested in volunteering, should I register as a naturalist or a guide ?
You can register as a Naturalist if you consider yourself a professional scientist or naturalist, amateur with a good level of ID skills, advanced graduate student, ecological consultant, or, generally, if you have sufficient expertise to find and identify specific and/or general types of organisms.
One of the main aims of the BioBlitz is to engage both school groups and the public in wildlife identification, recording and appreciating the value of Arnos Vale and the wildlife on site. We need your help to lead group walks with the public within your specialist field and to encourage more people to appreciate the importance of nature.
Guides are the backbone of the event and volunteering as a guide is a great way to learn key skills from the naturalists leading the surveys. As a guide you may also be asked to help with other tasks on the day, but the main thing we want you to do is enjoy the day and have fun. Guides will also help explore the site, interpret ID keys with members of the public and identify species to the best possible level. This role does not require a high level of expertise: the data collected will be verified by naturalists as necessary.
Due to overwhelming demand, registration for BioBlitz guides is now full. If your still interested please come along on the Saturday 26 May and get involved in some of the great surveys.
To register as a naturalist, please click here
When will it be?
The main public BioBlitz event will run on Saturday 25 May 2012 from 10 am until 4 pm. Surveying will run for the full 30-hours and will be open to pre-registered school groups from 9AM - 3PM on Friday May 24th. Friday evening will also host public events such as moth and bat surveys.
By helping at a Bioblitz event your time volunteering is very important to us, as a small gesture of appreciation you will receive a free lunch, a free BioBlitz T-shirt and hopefully take home lots of useful information, new skills, and be enthused by the naturalists leading the surveys.
