Citizen Science and the Bio Blitz Concept

A Different Workshop Concept

My workshops are science based using the Bio Blitz Concept. A BioBlitz is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area.  Groups of scientists, naturalists and photographers conduct intensive field studies over a continuous time period (e.g., usually 24 hours). A BioBlitz can be done in a National Park, a state park, a land trust property, a campus or even a playground. My workshops focus on particular habitats and will be lead by photographers and ecologists or naturalists who can draw all of the connections that occur in each habitat.  Most nature workshops focus on scenic overlooks, waterfalls, wildflowers, butterflies, or hopefully spotting a deer or bear, some small mammals, birds, etc. This is what most people seem to look for but there are so many other species out there- least 8,000,000!  There are possibly as many as 1,000,000 beetles.  Almost any habitat out there will have thousands and thousands of species and they are connected to each other in amazing ways. We will do two habitats during our workshop; one each day. This way we can compare the two habitats in terms of the different species we find and why these species were where they were.

Our workshops start on Friday evening where I will present the Bio Blitz Concept by showing several videos and then will demonstrate the Meet Your Nieghbours technique, which we will use in the field. Next my counterpart will talk to you about how a Bio Blitz works from the science perspective.  They will chat about the habitats we are going to shoot during the two days and what species will find and where you will find then when we are in the field. When we get in the field, they will be able to start making all the connections between the species and why these species are in the habitat. 

Saturday we will go to the first habitat and the Ecologist will set the scene and start showing you where you can find certain species which will allow you to shoot not only the species but the specific   habitat it was in.  The aim of the photographer is to shoot the whole environment not just the species.  This way you have a complete picture of the habitat, which will allow you to have a ready made article on that environment.  I will set up the Meet Your Neighbour system and when we start finding species everyone will be able to see the results.  Around 4:00PM we will go back to the venue so everyone can look at your images and get your best images ready to show the group.

Sunday will go same as Saturday except we will go to a different habitat where we can shoot again and also spend time talking to the Ecologist about all of the differences between this habitat and the one on Saturday.  When we get back to the room we will talk about these two habitats and compare them in terms of what species we found in each one and why.  We can talk about your photography and how you can craft an article with your photos and the information you got from the discussions during the two days.

A one-day workshop is also available. And would still include both habitats.

• Cost for a one-day workshop: $150
• Cost for the two-day workshop: $250
• Does not include room or meals.