Berkshire BioBlitz

Berkshire BioBlitz at the Pittsfield State Forest – June 4&5, 2010

Jane Winn, Exec Director of BEAT, opening BioBlitz

Jane Winn from BEAT had the honor of officially starting BioBlitz at noon by blowing a loud blast on a conch shell. (“I knew I played trombone in high school for a good reason!”)
The BioBlist started with 120 Pittsfield elementary school children joining scientists to collect and identify species. The kids were great! Really interested, observant, and enthusiastic. Thank you to the kids and their teachers for such a great start!

What is BioBlitz? A BioBlitz (aka Biodiversity Day) is an action-packed day designed as part scientific endeavor, part contest, part environmental festival, and part educational program. During a Bioblitz scientists come together in a race against time to count as many species as they can in a given area over a 24-hour period.

Rachael Lovato, BEAT's Intern, helping kids at BioBlitz

At first count, we found 313 species of vascular plants, 47 fungi, 16 mammals, 3 reptiles, 9 amphibians, 73 lichens, 110 bryophytes, and 65 birds at the first Berkshire BioBlitz at Pittsfield State Forest.

Lots more photos

The Berkshire BioBlitz is proudly presented by the Berkshire Museum, in partnership with MCLA STEM Pipeline, Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT), Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (MA DCR) and:
Berkshire Natural Resources Council
City of Pittsfield
Hoffmann Bird Club
MA Assocation of Conservation Commissions
MA Division of Fish and Wildlife
MA Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program
MCLA Environmental Studies Program
New England Tropical Conservancy
Northern Woodlands magazine
Orion magazine
OurBerkshire Green magazine
Pittsfield Public Schools, and
The Trustees of Reservations