SASKATCHEWAN — Ready, set, snap! The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is calling on people across Canada to get outside this August long weekend to document the nature around them, in the name of science.
The non-profit’s fourth annual Big Backyard BioBlitz aims to create a snapshot of nature in Canada, by encouraging people of all ages to observe and document the nature around them.
People can participate solo or with a group, and as often as they want, over the first weekend in August. The Big Backyard BioBlitz is a family-friendly activity that’s engaging for all ages, no matter a person’s level of knowledge about nature. Every observation can help conservation groups and scientists understand the state of local biodiversity, track at-risk species and even tackle invasive ones.
People can use their smartphones, tablets or digital cameras to snap photos or record audio of birds, insects, plants and other species wherever they happen to be, and then upload them to the event’s online database
By documenting the wild species in their neighbourhoods, including plants, birds, insects, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, lichen and fungi, participants help scientists map species and monitor changes over time. Big Backyard BioBlitz participants have recorded over 147,000 observations over the last four events, documenting over 7,700 species, including many that are at-risk or even endangered. In the face of climate change and biodiversity loss, people’s observations can help inform solutions.
Last year across Canada, people uploaded over 59,000 observations. They ranged from grizzly bear, bighorn sheep, humpback whale, great blue herons to plains bison. There were also many different tree species, turtles and insects. There were also 1,947 species at risk documented, most notably monarch butterflies and barn swallows. There were also 12,000 introduced and invasive species reported.
In Saskatchewan, people uploaded over 2,108 photos, including pronghorn, Swainson’s Hawk, barn swallows and Baby’s breath an invasive plant that is damaging native prairie grasslands and forage areas
“The Big Backyard BioBlitz is a great way to connect with the outdoors, while contributing to a national community science project,” says Kayla Burak with the Nature Conservancy of Canada in Saskatchewan. From invasive to endangered species, everyone’s observations help protect the nature we love.”
People can visit backyardbioblitz.ca to learn more and register. Once registered, they’ll receive step-by-step instructions on participating, tips for taking great shots, fact sheets about nature near them and be entered into a draw for a Big Backyard BioBlitz prize pack. Participants can also download learning activities from the website’s Kids’ Corner, such as scavenger hunt bingo, word searches, colouring pages and other activities for kids.
