Join the Water Center for our annual community BioBlitz! Help us document the plants, insects, lichen, birds, and other wildlife that are present in our wetlands and forest edges.
The BioBlitz helps us monitor species year after year to understand who is here, seasonal movement patterns, and flowering phenology. With the help of community scientists and nature enthusiasts like you, we will document as many species as we can.
During the BioBlitz, volunteer participants can sign up for a walk (descriptions below) that will be led by a local expert who will share identification tips with the group. We will use the free iNaturalist app to help us document all the species we find. No experience with the app is necessary to participate.
Drop in visitors are welcome to come explore and learn from our partners, too! Vancouver Bee Project, Columbia Springs, and Vancouver Audubon will be on hand with education tables for drop in visitors and walk participants, so come early and stay late to enjoy interacting with our partners.
The Bioblitz is a family-friendly event. Guided walks are appropriate for ages 6 and older, but all are welcome to attend. Walks will be approximately 75 minutes long. Walks may be on paved pathways, sandy beaches, or grassy areas. Detailed logistics for your specific walk will be emailed upon registration.
Registration is required for the walks. Sign up today to reserve your spot on a walk! Drop in visitors are welcome any time between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Walk Themes:
Birds: Join expert birders from Vancouver Audubon to identify birds by sight and sound. Walk begins at 10:30 a.m. Sign up to reserve your spot in advance.
Plants, Moss, Lichen and Mushrooms: Join Water Center staff to explore the riparian edges in search of our stationary plant, lichen and fungus friends. Walk begins at 11 a.m. Sign up to reserve your spot in advance.
Bee Walk: Join the Vancouver Bee Project to look for all things bees in our gardens and along the trails. Walk begins at 11:30 a.m. Sign up to reserve your spot in advance.
Accessibility: Substrate and terrain are variable for each walk. In general, the bee walk will be in grassy fields and gravel pathways, along the edges of plants. The plant walk will be on mostly paved surfaces and will be 1.5 miles. The bird walk will be on paved pathways, non-paved wetland trails, and sandy beaches.
If the event becomes full, please contact the Water Center at vanwrec@cityofvancouver.us or 360-487-7111 to add your name to the waitlist.
