Flemington DIY, local nonprofit community arts space, has announced Bio Blitz 2024, a celebration of biodiversity in the Borough of Flemington, N.J., happening the weekend of June 22-23.
Citizen scientists are invited to document various species of plants, animals, and other organisms in Flemington using the iNaturalist smartphone app.
This free event will span 24 hours in order to provide participants an opportunity to document species that are more active at dusk, dawn, and at night. Once properly documented, species data will be available on iNaturalist and can be used by biologists, ecologists, and others studying populations of these species.
“My idea to do this bioblitz came from an interest in knowing more about what was present in Flemington, with a hope that this event will help others become more interested in the natural world in their backyard,” said Jesse Smith, event coordinator, Flemington DIY volunteer, and Aquatic Ecologist at Princeton Hydro.
“The data this project will collect can also be used by real scientists for distribution studies and more. This will also help us document the presence of invasive species that may be present in the community and perhaps any rare species that may also exist in Flemington.
The Bio Blitz kicks off Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m. at Flemington DIY, runs through the afternoon and dusk, and will conclude Sunday, June 23, at noon.
Groups will be led by experts from Princeton Hydro and The Hunterdon Queer Birders and will be aided with field guides and taxonomic keys. Participants who live within the borough are also strongly encouraged to document wildlife that occurs in their own backyards.
For information and registration, visit www.flemingtondiy.org/bioblitz.
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