That’s a Wrap! NCWF Bioblitz Reaches the Finish Line

“I wanna make a jigsaw puzzle that’s 40,000 pieces. And when you finish it, it says, ‘go outside’.” – Demetri Martin

Thank you to everyone who participated in NCWF’s Summer iNaturalist Bioblitz. From June 21st to September 23rd, participants across the state opened their doors,  embraced the heat and searched for wonders of nature! With curious minds and playful hearts, we reached our goal of 200 thousand observations and 10 thousand total species. Congratulations to the Piedmont who took 1st place in both observations (94,181) and species recorded (5,950). This summer was one to remember! 

The project aimed to inspire North Carolinians to get out outside and connect with nature. At the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, we recognize the importance of that connection. The importance of enjoying the abundance of rich outdoor experiences that are unique to this state. Those who have memorable experiences outside are far more likely to engage in efforts to protect those wild places. 

In addition to inspiring people to get outside, the bioblitz highlighted the significance of citizen science. It served as a platform to create and gather data for scientists who are working to better understand and protect wildlife and habitat.

We hope that by participating in this project, you learned something new about North Carolina wildlife! North Carolina is a biodiversity hotspot and that’s worth our attention. 

BIOBLITZ STATS (Full Report)

Total – 207,343 Observations, 10,197 Species Species with the most observations – Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (1385), Common Box Turtle (935), Eastern Bumblebee (815), Yellow Garden Spider (545), Silver-Spotted Skipper (517), Common Jewelweed (500), Green June Beetle (496), Green Anole (490), Eastern Carpenter Bee (490), Webworm Moth (480)

1st Place: NC Piedmont – 94,181 observations, 5,950 species
2nd Place: NC Mountains – 78,506 observations, 5,780 species
3rd Place: NC Coastal Plain – 34,656 observations, 3,794 species

Written by:

– Luke Bennett, NCWF Conservation Coordinator