The 2023 Big Backyard BioBlitz was bigger than ever!
A big thank you to the 9,700+ new and returning bioblitzers across Canada who snapped photos and recorded audio clips of an amazing 5,700+ species from coast to coast to coast.
From August 3 and 7, our participants shared over 58,000 observations of plants, mammals, birds, insects and other living creatures. They documented species in suburban backyards and urban parks, at their cottage or their campsite, on the farm and in the wilderness.
Salmonier, NL (Photo by Dennis Minty)
It was a massive community science effort that will help conservation experts take stock of biodiversity, track rare species and identify invasive ones.
Together, we made NCC’s 2023 Big Backyard BioBlitz our biggest ever, with 5,800+ more observations and 480+ more species spotted than in 2022.
Salmonier, NL (Photo by Dennis Minty)
Here’s just a sample of what was found.
Top 3 species documented
Monarch (Photo by Mary Gartshore)
1. Monarch butterfly
Wild carrot (Photo by Jonathan Mack)
2. Wild carrot
Common Yarrow (Photo by Cindy Chrisler)
3. Common yarrow
Species at risk most frequently observed
Monarch (Photo by Mary Gartshore)
1. Monarch butterfly
Northern leopard frog (Photo by NCC)
2. Northern leopard frog
Yellow-banded bumble bee (Photo by Dennis Doucet)
3. Yellow-banded bumble bee
Introduced/ invasive species most frequently observed
Wild carrot (Photo by Jonathan Mack)
1. Wild carrot
European honeybee (Photo by Reiner Jakubowski)
2. European honey bee
Japanese beetle (Photo by Ingrid Kaatz)
3. Japanese Beetle
Our bioblitzers told us they got as much as they gave,
“What a wonderful time getting to know our local plants, fungi, insects, birds, and animals with my daughter! We spent a lovely weekend outside getting the next generation excited about conservation, and it was an absolute blast!” - Fred Barry, Saskatchewen
“This is the second year we have participated in the Big Backyard BioBlitz. Although we recorded different items this year, we became more aware of the plant species in our area. Of particular interest to us was following up on the various species to learn which were native and which were invasive. We live in a rural area and are interested in maintaining its biodiversity. It is an enjoyable activity and one in which you can involve yourself as much as you wish and learn as much as you desire.” - Chris Pocock, British Columbia
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Questions?
Please email us at events@natureconservancy.ca
