Celebrating local biodiversity during a time of unprecedented global biodiversity loss, the 15th Berkshire Biodiversity Day (aka Berkshire BioBlitz) welcomes community members of all ages to join biologists, naturalists, and environmentalists to identify as many plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as possible during a 24-hour period.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from noon on Friday, September 13, to noon on Saturday, September 14, in Pittsfield at the Berkshire Community College (BCC) campus and promises to be an engaging experience for all nature enthusiasts. Members of the public are welcome to stop by anytime for scheduled walks and activities, to record a survey of their findings, and to experience first-hand the importance of a healthy, active ecosystem!

This year’s program is packed with guided walks, presentations, and demonstrations led by experts. Presentation topics include: native plants as insect habitat from Charley Eiseman, moths and how to observe them from Carla Rhodes, lichen from Kay Hurley, and arthropods from Bryan “Professor Bugman” Man. Professor Tom Tyning will lead an amphibian, reptile, and small mammal walk that will involve checking under cover boards—a common surveying method used by herpetologists. Rene Wendell from Hoffmann Bird Club will lead an owl prowl, and Matthew Rymkiewicz will lead a demo on how to lightsheet for moths. On Saturday morning, Ben Nickley of Berkshire Bird Observatory will also conduct a mist netting and bird banding demo, and Jonathan Pierce and Rene Wendell, two former presidents of Hoffmann Bird Club, will lead an early morning bird walk.

Click here for a detailed schedule of the program.

DATE: Friday, September 13 to Saturday, September 14

TIME: Noon to Noon (12pm–12pm)

LOCATION: Berkshire Community College, 1350 West St, Pittsfield, MA 01201

All attendees should meet in the Koussevitzky Arts Center lobby, outside of the K-111 Auditorium. Biological surveys and expert-led walks will be conducted on BCC’s campus, which spans 180+ acres and boasts a diverse range of habitats, including meadows, forests, and wetlands. Presentations will take place in the K-111 Auditorium.

If you’d like to learn more about this 24-hour biological survey, visit www.berkshirebioblitz.org.

This year’s program is organized and sponsored by Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Nature Academy of the Berkshires. It’s co-sponsored by Berkshire Community College, Greylock Federal Credit Union, and Panera.

Consider supporting BEAT’s work and free programs like this one by donating or purchasing one of our wildlife t-shirts!