What is a BioBlitz?

So you ask, "What is a BioBlitz?" A BioBlitz is an attempt by volunteer naturalists to tally as many species of organism as they can in 24 hours in a particular parcel of land. It includes activities for people of all levels of expertise, plus educational activities for kids and a press briefing. It is designed to increase awareness of the variety of life that surrounds us on even the most mundane-looking land, and of the value of these species to the quality of our lives. As an integral part of their mission, numerous states' Natural Heritage Programs conduct bioblitzes. In the first RINHS BioBlitz in June of 2000, 33 volunteers observed 663 species in a highly degraded urban park in Providence, RI. In June 2004, 110 volunteers shared in the discovery of over 1,000 species in a conservation area in West Greenwich, RI. In addition to generating publicity for the issue of biodiversity, BioBlitz yields valuable information on species for the Survey's databases and has contributed to works in our publication series as well. The land-owning entities of each BioBlitz site benefit from the rapid assessment of their property, identifying sites and species as potential education or conservation targets, and generating publicity for their land conservation efforts. BioBlitz is one of the Survey's signature programs.

BioBlitz 2008 2008 BioBlitz Summary | 2008 Species List
Our ninth annual bioblitz was held on June 6 and 7, 2008, in Grills Preserve, Westerly, RI. RINHS, along with partners, Roger Williams Park Zoo and The Westerly Land Trust hosted this event at Grills Preserve, Westerly, RI. Over 115 scientists, naturlists, and volunteers came out and identified over 1,111 species.

BioBlitz 2007 2007 BioBlitz Summary | 2007 Species List
BioBlitz 2007 was held on June 1st & 2nd at the 777-acre Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge, off Rt 1 in South Kingstown, RI, including the last undeveloped coastal salt pond in Rhode Island, beautiful meadow and shrubland, varied oak wood, and extensive red maple swamps and other freshwater wetlands. The final species count totaled nearly 1,000 species. Thanks to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Friends of the Refuge, and Largess Forestry.

BioBlitz 2006 2006 BioBlitz Summary | 2006 Species List
BioBlitz 2006 was held on June 9th & 10th at the Cumberland Monastery, 1464 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland, RI. Covering more than 500 acres, the property includes large hay fields, abandoned fields, farm ponds, wetlands, a small tributary of the Blackstone River, and a variety of forests. There are areas with high levels of human disturbance, areas where invasive plants pervade, and areas of comparative natural stability. The upland forest and characteristic northern RI soils hosts a different suite of species than found in previous Rhode Island BioBlitzes. BioBlitz 2006 was sponsored by the Town of Cumberland, Cumberland Conservation Commission, Lincoln Land Trust, and Blackstone River Watershed Council with support of Largess Forestry.

BioBlitz 2005 2005 BioBlitz Summary | 2005 Species List
Our sixth annual bioblitz was held on June 17 and 18, 2005, in Bristol Rhode Island. RINHS, along with partners, Mount Hope Farm and Trust and Brown University's Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology hosted this event at Mount Hope, in Bristol, RI. Over 100 scientists, naturlists, and volunteers came out and identified over 972 species.

BioBlitz 2004 2004 BioBlitz Summary | 2004 Species List
BioBlitz 2004 took place in West Greenwich on the beautiful 2,300-acre W. Alton Jones Campus of the University of Rhode Island. Over 109 scientists, naturalists, and volunteers participated. BioBlitz 2004 began at 3:00 PM on Friday, June 18 and continued for 24 hours. Friday night, the Environmental Education Center hosted a barbecue for scientists and volunteers, and as a special treat, there was an evening lecture on the history of the Alton Jones Campus. Members of the public attended on Saturday for guided walks, observing the professionals, and attending the final countdown.

BioBlitz 2003 2003 BioBlitz Summary | 2003 Species List
Bioblitz 2003 was held from 3:00 p.m. on Friday, June 20 to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 21. It was centered at the Tiverton Land Trust's Pardon Gray Preserve (purchased with the assistance of The Nature Conservancy of Rhode Island and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island [ASRI]) and included the Town of Tiverton's Weetamoo Woods, ASRI's Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuge, Sapowet Marsh, and RIDEM's Babbitt property.

BioBlitz 2002 2002 BioBlitz Summary | 2002 Species List
Bioblitz 2002 was held at the Marion Eppley Wildlife Sanctuary on June 21 - 22, 2002. 912 taxa were counted.

BioBlitz 2001 2001 BioBlitz Summary | 2001 Species List
Bioblitz 2001 was conducted on Aquidneck Island on September 14 - 15, 2001. Locations included Norman Bird Sanctuary, Sachuest Point NWR, Oakland Forest, the Nunes Farm, and Raytheon's natural areas.

BioBlitz 2000 2000 BioBlitz Summary | 2000 Species List
Bioblitz 2000 was the first bioblitz in Rhode Island, and took place from 3:00 p.m. on Friday, June 9 to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 10, at Roger Williams Park in Providence, RI. It was cosponsored by the Rhode Island Natural History Survey and the Roger Williams Park and Zoo.