Golden Gate Selected for the 2014 National Geographic BioBlitz

National Geographic and the National Park Service have partnered to conduct a BioBlitz in a different national park each year during the decade leading up to the NPS Centennial in 2016. For 24 hours, volunteer scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members try to find and identify as many species of plants, animals, microbes, fungi, and other organisms as possible. There is also a two-day festival that celebrates biodiversity and the spirit of exploration.

The event will also feature a Speakers Series that will bring leaders in the field to venues around the Bay Area in the weeks leading up to this event. We are currently seeking ideas for both speakers and venues that might be of interest to our members. Please take a moment to share your suggestions here before October 11.

The Parks Conservancy is thrilled to participate in exploring the amazing ecological richness and biological diversity at Golden Gate. Though these parks are beloved recreation spots, many may not know that they are also part of the UNESCO Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve—and lie within a region that the Nature Conservancy and Conservation International have named one of 25 global biodiversity hotspots.

BioBlitz will enable us to explore the parks from the redwood canopy to the ocean floor, monitor the health of natural resources, and learn how restoration projects are progressing. It will also give children and adults alike the opportunity to gain an even deeper appreciation for the national park right in their backyards.

Stay tuned for more details on the Golden Gate events in March! To learn more about the BioBlitz series, visit the National Geographic website.