University of West Florida BioBlitz Spring 2018

This spring semester, GTU is hosting BioBlitz event on the starting April 7th through the end of the month. We invite any person with a smart phone, location services, and an app to check in and log data through iNaturalist.

All observations for this event should be logged on UWF campus only.

In case you may need some background, a BioBlitz is an all-day event where research professionals, naturalist, hobbyists, and volunteers work together to survey and log as many species as possible in a designated study area.

The UWF BioBlitz events were initiated by the Earth and Environmental Science department and the GTU Geographic Honors Society in October of 2014. Since then, there have been several events that surveyed vascular plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, and fungi. Hundreds of species are logged at every event.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Watch your step and be careful on hiking trails! There can be roots and holes that can easily trip you. Don't use the app until you have stopped walking.

If you are not familiar with the hiking trails on campus at the Edward Ball Nature Trail or at the Baars-Firestone Wildlife Sanctuary, the correct trail maps provided on this campus map - http://geo.uwf.edu/map/

On the boardwalk and trails, there can be alligators, venomous snakes, and biting insects.

Please take the correct precautions and wear outdoor clothing, closed toed shoes, sun protective gear, sunscreen, and bug spray.

Try to have at least one person with you on the hiking trails if you are not familiar with them.

All data is to be collected in the daylight, do not go out at night.

Please be careful when taking photos and data. DO NOT DISTURB OR TOUCH the organism(s)!!!

Results will be presented at the UWF Earth and Environmental Science Department Open House.

Website for UWF BioBlitz: https://uwf.edu/cse/departments/earth-and-environmental-sciences/student-resources/bioblitz/ less ↑