Forget all those little warblers and sparrows in oak tree. This year get up OFF the patio furniture and walk on  down to your nearest stream or creek. Does it show signs of beavers?  And if not, then WHY not?

Join a national science project from your cottage doorstep this weekend

Citizen scientists, unite!

This August long weekend, join the Nature Conservancy of Canada in documenting the nature around you and help scientists better understand biodiversity across the country. Running from August 1 to 5, the “Big Backyard BioBlitz” encourages people of all ages to get outside and observe their natural surroundings.

“The Big Backyard BioBlitz is a great way to connect with the outdoors, while contributing to a national community science project,” said Caroline Tanguay, a biologist and the stewardship coordinator with the non-profit, in a news release. “From invasive to endangered species, everyone’s observations help protect the nature we love.”

Now that sounds like a great idea. Hey why isn’t there one of these JUST for beavers come to think of it.

Take photos or record audio of birds, insects, plants, or other species, then upload the files to the event’s database. This data helps scientists track at-risk and invasive species, and monitor biodiversity changes over time. 

Whether you’re tracking local beavers or a beetle running across your deck, the project welcomes every contribution.

Over the past four events, the conservancy says that participants have recorded more than 147,000 observations and documented nearly 8,000 species, providing up-to-date data to scientists, educators, and nature enthusiasts. 

The project is also a great way to get kids involved in the outdoors. Participants can download learning activities for kids, including scavenger hunt bingo, word searches, colouring pages, and more. 

Visit backyardbioblitz.ca to learn more and to register for the event. 

Oh man. If there were a backyard beaver bio-blitz they could serve as an umbrella species for every creek and we could just infer the wildlife that thrives around it. Hmmmm….