Upper Delaware BioBlitz

06/02/2025

First ever Wilkes Barre BioBlitz was held this last weekend and was inspired by the 2024 Upper Delaware BioBlitz at The Highlights Foundation

WILKES-BARRE — A census of hundreds of species living in Nesbitt and Kirby parks was conducted on Friday and Saturday this week as part of Bioblitz, a new event to the Wyoming Valley.

11/16/2024

The results of the 2024 Upper Delaware BioBlitz are in. There were a total of 756 species identified in 24 hours. 41 of them were Wayne County first occurrences. The entire catalog is available on our website at http://www.upperdelawarebioblitz.com/science/default.html. Also included on that page is a summary of the results from all 6 Upper Delaware BioBlitzes and a PowerPoint wrap up from this year's event. Thanks to Tanya Dapkey of The Academy of Natural Sciences for managing the science teams and data collection!

08/12/2024

WJFF broadcast Rosie Starr’s excellent coverage of the 2024 Upper Delaware BioBlitz including interviews with some of the scientists.

Here’s a recording: https://archive.wjffradio.org/mp3/wjff_240810_100000farmandcount.mp3

BioBlitz program starts at 7:45 after Keith Hubbard’s Startalk on the Perseids.

07/10/2024

Here’s a good article with photos that captures the spirit of the BioBlitz.

MILANVILLE, PA — After multiple years of hosting only virtual events, the Upper Delaware River Valley came alive with the hustle and bustle of scientists, naturalists and nature enthusiasts for …

07/02/2024

The Highlights Foundation site and facilities helped make this the best Upper Delaware BioBlitz ever! We had 200-300 visitors including more than 50 kids and that totally meets and even exceeds our objectives. There was a robust series of programs ranging from a BioBlitz scavenger hunt to nature journaling to native plant, bird and mushroom walks to fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates sampling demonstrations. We had music from Janet Burgan and Dave and Farmers Daughters and a puppet show from John Bromberg and Trudy Gerlach. Eight teams comprising 40 scientists and amateur naturalists worked for 24 hours to collect, identify and catalog our preliminary count of 720 unique species. Twenty volunteers coordinated everything from the programs to the food service to site setup and takedown. Last but certainly not least, thanks to all of our donors and sponsors!

Here are the preliminary species counts by team:

2024 Upper Delaware BioBlitz Preliminary Counts 6/30/24

Birds 67
Botany 173
Bryology 61
Fish 10
Fungi 37
H**ps 15
Invertebrates 340
Mammals 17
______________________
Total 720

06/30/2024

The 2024 Upper Delaware BioBlitz was a big success! We had to cut it just a bit short due to the rain, but before we did we entertained and educated a whole lot of people with our nature walks, activities, and music.

And we couldn't have done it without our supporters, volunteers, donors and sponsors and supporters including:

Wayne County Community Foundation
The John and Helen Villaume Foundation
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Pocono Forests and Waters
Upper Delaware Council
The Academy of Natural Sciences
Wayne Conservation District
Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
Friends of the Upper Delaware River
Here & Now Brewing Company
Cochecton Spirits
Runaway Train Brewery
The Highlights Foundation

Thanks also to all of our individual donors through NEPA Gives and the Wayne County Community Foundation! Thanks to all of the volunteers, Science Team leads and members, presenters, performers, workshop organizers, and the BioBlitz Steering Committee who help produce this event. And of course thank you to our amazing hosts at the Highlights Foundation Retreat Center.

And stay tuned to this space for the final results from our science teams!

06/30/2024

Our OG BioBlitz partner, NPS UPDE, recaps their BioBlitz. Thanks for all your resources and help!

06/28/2024

Want to learn more about BioBlitzes? Check out this article from 2018 talking about the Upper Delaware BioBlitz. And then join us tomorrow, Saturday June 29th for the 2024 version!

06/28/2024

We're all set up and ready for the scientists to arrive! Join us on Saturday at the beautiful Highlights Foundation Retreat Center in Boyds Mills, PA from 10 am to 4 pm to see what they've collected, identified, and catalogued, and to participate in a nature walk, craft or activity, and to check out some music and more! List of programming activities is here: http://upperdelawarebioblitz.com/event/default.html

And don't forget about Moth Night tonight from 8pm to 10pm, not to mention the Mammal team doing some acoustic monitoring for bats. We can't wait to see you!

06/26/2024

There's plenty to do at the BioBlitz this Saturday! Guided nature walks, craft tables and activities, music and drama -- there's something for everyone. Check out the schedule to plan your visit!

ALL DAY ACTIVITIES, 10AM TO 4PM:
Plant Native! Trees & Seeds Giveaway by Known Grove Sacred Lands Stewardship
Junior Ranger Activites by the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (NPS)
Caddisfly Craft by the Academy of Natural Sciences
Kids' Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt by Kathleen Christie

GUIDED NATURE WALKS:
10-11AM Bird ID Walk with Jim McCoy
10-10:30AM Boyds Mills Property Forest Management Practices with George Brown of the Highlights Foundation
10AM-12PM Moss and Ferns Walk with Susan Munch
10AM-12PM Learn about Mushrooms Walk with Nathanial Whitmore
11AM-12PM Snakes, Salamanders & Frogs H**p Walk with Andy Weber of the National Park Service
11AM-12:30PM Foraging Walk with Laura Silverman of the Outside Institute
12PM-1PM Mushroom ID Walk with Dave Wasilewski
12PM-1PM Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Sampling Demo with Tanya Dapkey of the Academy of Natural Sciences
2PM-3PM Native Plant Walk with Sarah Chamberlain

MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT:
10AM-12PM Acoustic Music by Dave and the Farmer's Daughters
12PM-1PM Music by Janet Burgan

GUIDED ACTIVITIES:
10AM-11:30AM Nature Journaling by Tabassam Shah
2PM-3PM The Art of Awareness: Walking with Lens and Pen by Sandy Long
2PM-2:30PM Pictures Moved by Strings by John Bromberg