Bio Blitz

BIO BLITZ

This fantastic event is a 30-hour 'race against the clock', where scientists, naturalists, students, members of public, schools and community groups work together to find and identify as much wildlife as possible and to record the species diversity in a particular location.

On an uncharacteristically grey, rainy day in June, 190 students from 4 Bristol schools took part in the first Bristol BioBlitz in June 2009. Hotwells Primary sent a group of Year 5 Gifted and Talented scientists, May Park and Hillcrest Primaries included all their Year 6 pupils, and Henbury Secondary brought along 50 Y10 GCSE Science students.

Our aim for the first of these events was to engage students' interest in biodiversity, give them opportunities to work alongside scientists and naturalists, promote science outside the classroom, and test different recording technologies.

Despite a tremendous downpour for the first 90 minutes of the day, we quickly organised the groups and equipped them with digital cameras to provide a photographic record and GPS enabled PDAs with recording software installed. These proved a real hit particularly as any paperwork was rendered useless in the rain. Data collected on the PDAs allowed for the results to be mapped using Google Earth. Data entry proved quick and efficient allowing students to concentrate on identifying species.

We were fortunate to be working alongside local organisations, in liaison with Bristol Natural History Partnership, which meant that young people were offered a rich and varied group of specialist support.  Students carried out worm and lichen surveys as part of the OPAL (Natural History Museum) research project and took away packs to carry out the research in their own school grounds. 

The students received praise from the scientists for their willingness and engagement with the surveys. The Y10 students were particularly noted for their questions and high levels of subject knowledge. 

The BioBlitz offers great opportunities for encouraging science as well as developing citizenship, fieldwork skills and community participation. Some students were really excited by the project and returned in the evening to take part in bat and moth surveys.