UPDATE! Here are the results:

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If you’re interested in using your senses to learn more about the natural world right here, get ready for our first annual BIOBLITZ!

Organized by local high school student and climate activist, Scout Pronto, this is a family-friendly event that you can do together in person or remotely. Everyone will use this very cool app, iNaturalist, to contribute to a Rhinebeck-focused citizen scientist effort to spot and record as many creatures and plants as possible, all on one weekend.

WHEN: Weekend of 25-26 September

WHERE: Anywhere in Town or Village of Rhinebeck

WHAT: A BioBlitz is an event that brings community members together to identify as many species of flora and fauna as possible in a specific area, over a short period of time. This will provide a snapshot of our areas biodiversity. For families, we are also including a scavenger hunt to look for specific plants and animals. This is part of Rhinebeck’s efforts to strengthen our local ecosystems. Other projects include a new Pollinator Garden in Thompson Mazzarella Park, the Town’s Natural Resource Inventory and we are working with the Community Garden to establish space to engage young people around natural systems.

HOW IT WORKS: We are holding a virtual version this year, in which participants will go out into Rhinebeck’s natural spaces and, using the iNaturalist app, do all recording of data themselves. It is very easy and fun. At the end of the weekend, we will celebrate the findings, from the most abundant to the rarest species, and who found the most! For more information and to get ready, go to: https://sites.google.com/view/hudsonvalleywild/focus-areas/nature-friendly-communities/bioblitz

Brought to you by Hudson Valley Wild, Dirty Gaia, Climate Smart Community Task Force, Starr Library