WHO: Everyone is invited to participate in the Hassayampa Ecosystems BioBlitz! Bring your friends and family out to learn about Arizona wildlife and contribute to important ecological data collection.

WHAT: Teams of biologist-led citizen scientists will find and document as many living things in the target area as possible through iNaturalist, a citizen-science smartphone app.

WHEN: This is a 24-hour event that will begin at 9am on Saturday, April 9th and end at 9am on Sunday, April 10th.

WHERE: The Hassayampa Ecosystems include the White Tank, Vulture, and Belmont mountain ranges plus the Hassayampa Plains which connect them! More information about the target area is available here.

WHY: Growth and development will lead to significant changes in this area over the coming decades! Read more about why ecological inventory data is so important for the Hassayampa Ecosystems here.

HOW: Register to become a Blitzer and come out the Hassayampa Ecosystems on April 9th and 10th!

Visit our website to learn more!

This event is co-sponsored by the Arizona Game & Fish Department and the Arizona Chapter of the Wildlife Society, along with over a dozen other partner organizations. There are many different excursions available for you to participate in, ranging from family friendly activities to strenuous, hands-on wildlife surveys. There will be many opportunities to interact with Arizona wildlife and expert biologists in a fun, safe environment.

A BioBlitz is a planned event that aims to locate and identify as many species as possible in a specific area over a specific period of time – essentially taking an “ecological inventory”. Event organizers and Species Matter Experts (SMEs) work with members of the public and community organizations to create a data “snapshot” of the biological diversity in the target area. Using apps like iNaturalist and eBird on smartphones, citizen scientists and career biologists alike can collect high quality data by snapping pictures of wildlife and having those observations verified by others. Data collected during a BioBlitz can be used by scientists and policymakers to gain a stronger understanding of the ecosystem and may inform future research and management decisions. A BioBlitz is also an important opportunity for community members to learn about plants and wildlife, gain data collection skills, and build a stronger connection to the landscape.