Starting Thursday, Aug. 1, and continuing over the August long weekend, the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Big Backyard Bioblitz invites all Canadians, to enjoy nature and contribute to scientists’ species knowledge.
During last year’s event, nearly 10,000 participants logged close to 60,000 observations across the country, with the most frequent being monarch butterflies, which are classified as endangered globally.
In Alberta specifically, participants logged over 4,500 observations.
In past years, these have included yellow warbler, plains bison, moose, and persius duskywing, a butterfly species considered extirpated in eastern Canada.
All observations help scientists and conservation planners access data and information to inform future protection and restoration efforts.
From office commutes to national parks, participants can snap photos and record audio clips of species they see in their local environments.
Once registered, participants can submit their discoveries to iNaturalist, a crowd-sourced species inventory.
Written by: Stan Ashbee – Vista Radio
