Pollinator Pockets

'Bio' means 'life' and 'Blitz' means "to do something quickly and intensively." Together they make 'BioBlitz' – a collaborative race against the clock to discover as many species as possible within a set location during a defined time period.

A BioBlitz usually comprises a group of scientists, naturalists, park staff and other members of the public working together. As an informal and fun way to create a snapshot of the variety of life found in an area, these events provide an opportunity for participants to learn together and share their expertise and enthusiasm for nature. BioBlitzes make engaging with science easy and fun while raising awareness about the role of biological recording. They also give the public an opportunity to contribute to a genuine scientific survey. A BioBlitz can be carried out anywhere that there is wildlife, including urban and rural areas or inland and coastal locations.

The Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz is a national effort for people to find and document pollinator-friendly plants and pollinators across the country in partnership with their local park and recreation agency. It's a national campaign to see who can make the most observations, engage the most people and promote pollinator awareness and education. The results not only make an impact for awareness of pollinators nationally and for those who participate, but they also help agencies know what pollinator and plant species are in their parks and help them plan for how to protect them and promote biodiversity.

The Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz will be utilizing the iNaturalist platform. This platform allows our complied results to be shared and calculated up to a national page within the platform and will show the collective impact for this event.

To follow our local observations, visit the Parks for Pollinators 2024: City of Manhattan Parks and Recreation link.

To participate, simply download the Seek by iNaturalist app on your smartphone and start exploring the pollinators in your area!