BioBlitz: A Snapshot of Biodiversity

A bioblitz is part rapid biological survey and part a public outreach event that brings together scientists and volunteers to compile a snapshot of biodiversity in a relatively short amount of time.

Bioblitzes are an important part of the National Park Service A Call to Action: Preparing for a Second Century of Stewardship and Engagement. Biodiversity discovery events such as bioblitzes are the focus of Action 7: Next Generation Stewards, which calls for the National Park Service to "create a new generation of citizen scientists and future stewards of our parks by conducting fun, engaging, and educational Biodiversity Discovery activities in at least 100 national parks, including at least five urban parks."

The National Park Service and National Geographic Society are collaborating to host one bioblitz per year for the 10 years leading up to the National Park Service Centennial in 2016. These large-scale events have involved thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds who have worked together to discover hundreds of different species. Explore this website for details and watch the video below to see footage from the 2012 BioBlitz in Rocky Mountain National Park.

We warmly invite you to participate in the next National Park Service/National Geographic Society BioBlitz at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve on May 17–18, 2013. Go on assignment in the bayou with other volunteers and subject matter experts to discover and learn about the living resources of one of the most unique ecosystems in the United States.