This student-led data-collecting fest was a massive success again this year. Daisy Page from the organising committee tells us all about it.
‘The 11th of June’s 2022 was a beautifully sunny day and when it come to a close, so did BioBlitz 2022. The day was jam packed with interactive stalls, face painting, and overall, 22 surveys were completed on the Canterbury University of Kent campus. With the help of 408 human participants including the volunteers/ survey leads who allowed the day to go ahead, 290 different species where recorded which is an astonishing 46 more species than BioBlitz 2021.
Many different external organisations come to the day to help spread their knowledge on species and conservation. One organisation who participated on the day and led a survey included the Kent Moth Group. With the help of this group University of Kent BioBlitz recorded the first Birch bagworm (Proutia betulina) in the whole vice county of East Kent and recorded the second ever loosestrife conch (Phalonidia udana) in Kent. This is just one example of how external organisations and participants helped the days to be such an success.
Holding a Bioblitz on the University of Kent campus holds great importance to understand species which are found and to monitor the trends of species on campus. Not only is it important to us to monitor trends however this free day allows people with interests in nature come together and share their love with our community. Without all the participants and attendees on the day, it wouldn’t of been amazing as it was, so the Bioblitz team would just like to say a massive thank you to everyone help this day go forward.
We anticipating an even bigger and better Bioblitz 2023. If you would like to be added to our mailing list to find out more about the BIoblitz results, or be the first to hear about Bioblitz 2023 follow us on our social media channels Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.’
Watch coverage of BioBlitz on BBC South East here.