SP0128: BIO BLITZ McGill!

Ever wonder about all the trees that you walk by everyday on campus? How about the squirrels, birds and other animals that can be found on the grounds? BIO BLITZ wants to work with you to get the answers!

Twice a year, once in April and again in September this program offers expertly-led tours that explore the flora and fauna found on McGill's downtown and Macdonald campuses. Using ID kits and field guides, participants stop at different stations on campus, learning about and taking inventory of the flora and fauna they find.

The BIO BLITZ tours are guided by McGill experts in Biology and Ecology, such as the team from the Québec Centre for Biodiversity Science, the Lyman Entomological Museum, the Redpath Museum, the University Herbarium and BAM!, an open-access knowledge base on the inventory of land biodiversity data.

Throughout the excursion, students are engaged with nature through citizen science and conservation activities as they create of a baseline inventory of McGill's flora and fauna. This inventory then becomes a key strategic tool in evaluating changes in biodiversity and/or guiding future land-use decisions.

BIO BLITZ McGill! aims to develop the resources, contacts and structure needed to integrate the program into official McGill credit courses so that professors and continue it on their own in future years.

To facilitate the success of this venture, the SPF has provided the resources for acquiring experts to research and create simple ID kits and for each station, and train instructors, TAs and others. Data collected will then be complied and presented in various forms.

BIO BLITZ McGill takes inspiration from BioBlitz Mount Royal which, in October 2013, had 300 high school students participate in similar activities that successfully created and inventory of the biodiversity on the Northern Summit of the Mountain.

Green Space on the Downtown McGill Campus