Participate in Sea Grant's 2025 Great Lakes Biological Survey Blitz
In celebration of Earth Day 2025, recapture the true essence of nature by joining Minnesota Sea Grant's Great Lakes BioBlitz. This free, family-friendly event, running from April 22 to May 20, invites participants of all ages to connect with the outdoors and contribute to science through a month-long exploration across the Great Lakes region.
This initiative is part of the Sea Grant Great Lakes BioBlitz, a collaborative undertaking involving Minnesota Sea Grant and the Sea Grant programs of Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois-Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Lake Champlain.
By participating in a BioBlitz, individuals are encouraged to document the living organisms in their immediate environment using the iNaturalist mobile app. Regardless of location—whether you're in a forest, on a shoreline, or your own backyard—each observation can aid in research and showcase the region's rich biodiversity.
"Springtime is an ideal moment to observe plants and animals native to the Great Lakes region," notes Heidi Ferris, Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development Extension Educator at Minnesota Sea Grant. "The BioBlitz enables people to notice and appreciate the beauty around them and to share their discoveries with the world."
Explore the opportunity to spot unique flora and fauna, such as the pitcher's thistle, a plant with pale green, silvery-haired, and ghostly-looking stalks and spiky bulbs, or the prickly saxifrage, with mats of small, leathery, spiny-toothed leaves that appear in rocky crevices around Lake Superior.
For those motivated by friendly competition, you can monitor progress on the leaderboards, where participants race to identify the most species and complete weekly photo challenges and journal prompts.
Observations can be enriched by uploading photographs or recording audio to share evidence such as animal tracks, nests, feathers, or droppings. Once enough people verify an observation on iNaturalist, the data from the observation contributes to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, providing valuable insight into ongoing research.
In Northeast Minnesota's Sax-Zim Bog, for instance, iNaturalist data has been pivotal in tracking rare owls and informing conservation education. For more examples of data utilization within the Great Lakes BioBlitz, watch the recording of the 2025 Great Lakes BioBlitz kick-off webinar.
To participate, simply:
- Visit the "2025 Sea Grant Great Lakes BioBlitz" project page on iNaturalist
- Sign up or log in
- Join the 2025 Sea Grant Great Lakes BioBlitz
- Begin submitting photos and audio recordings on April 22
- Engage with weekly photo challenges and journal prompts
- Increase your ranking on the leaderboards by identifying observations submitted by other participants
Embark on a journey of exploration, discovery, and contribution to the Great Lakes BioBlitz. Grab your smartphone, find a companion, and lace up your walking shoes—let's find 'em all!
For additional information and updates, visit the Minnesota Sea Grant Great Lakes BioBlitz project webpage. For inquiries, contact Heidi Ferris at [email protected] or Amanda Shie at [email protected].
Sentence 1: Embrace the blend of science, environmental-science, and outdoor-living in your lifestyle this Earth Day 2025, by joining the Great Lakes BioBlitz event, a month-long exploration of the region's biodiversity, and contribute to research using the iNaturalist app.
Sentence 2: After the BioBlitz event, transform your home-and-garden into a sanctuary for the native flora and fauna you've discovered, promoting a sustainable and harmonious lifestyle with the environment.
