Exploring the value of a BioBlitz as a biodiversity education tool in a post-secondary environment

Abstract

Biodiversity education is widely considered a necessary component of protecting global biodiversity by helping to change harmful attitudes and actions. BioBlitz events, rapid surveys of all living things in a defined area over a set period, are becoming a widely used practice for biodiversity education. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a campus BioBlitz as a place-based experiential learning experience for early undergraduate science students by having students work alongside naturalist experts to build skills in species observation and identification using the iNaturalist app. We surveyed students about their perceptions of the BioBlitz experience. Eighty two percent of students agreed that the BioBlitz provided valuable hands-on learning, they valued learning outside of a traditional classroom, and felt they learned new knowledge about species identification. Many students reported a heightened sense of environmental stewardship and a positive sense of place on campus. We conclude with a discussion of the benefits of a campus BioBlitz in overcoming many of the emerging challenges associated with outdoor field-based education.

Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2021.1960953 .

Keywords:

• BioBlitz
• experiential learning
• biodiversity
• post-secondary
• sense of place

Acknowledgements

This study is based on a BioBlitz event which could not have happened without the support and assistance of many partners and student helpers. We would like to acknowledge the Faculty of Science at Dalhousie University for their continued financial support of the Dal BioBlitz. We would like to acknowledge the in-kind support provided by the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History. We would also like to acknowledge the time and knowledge contributions made by other Dalhousie and community taxonomic experts who participated in the event. We also had a number of senior undergraduate students helping ensure the event ran smoothly and in particular would like to acknowledge Nina Garrett and Megan Haley. We would like to acknowledge John Lindley for technical assistance throughout the event. Finally, we would like to acknowledge Dr. Gabrielle Tompkins, Dr. Mason MacDonald, Dr. Derek Lynch, Dr. Robert France, Karen Smith, and Cyndi Parks for allowing us to recruit students from their courses to participate in the event and the research study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susan Gass

Sue Gass is a University Teaching Fellow in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Dalhousie University. Her research works to decipher the complexities of human interactions within ecosystems with a focus on marine environments and in finding the most effective ways to communicate these with students. She teaches a range of Environmental Science courses where she takes a holistic teaching approach to helping students understand today’s environmental challenges. She has been teaching undergraduate science for more than a decade and teaches all levels of undergraduate students in both large and small classes including field courses. She employs a range of teaching methods and engages her students with the use of case studies. Before joining Dalhousie, she worked in the environmental NGO and local government sectors on biodiversity conservation planning, and as a post doctoral researcher and teaching fellow at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. She has a BSc in Biology and Environmental Science from McGill University (1998), an MES from Dalhousie University (2002) and PhD in Marine Environmental Science from the Open University/UHI Millennium Institute (2006).

Amy Mui

Amy is currently an Instructor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Her areas of interest in teaching and research include species at risk conservation through geospatial habitat and connectivity modelling in disturbed ecosystems. Current work is focused on determining lidar and optical remote sensing variables capable of identifying specialized breeding habitat of the endangered Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) in high elevation forests of Cape Breton highlands. Ongoing work also includes modelling priority areas for conservation of Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) habitat in eastern Canada using object-oriented approaches to characterize wetlands at multiple spatial and temporal scales.

Paul Manning

Paul is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture at Dalhousie University. He holds a BSc in Agriculture from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, and a DPhil in Zoology from the University of Oxford. His research aims to understand how insect communities support ecosystem functioning in agrecosystems. Paul is also interested in elevating public understanding and appreciation of insects through speaking to community groups, working with youth, and conducting research through community science.

Heather Cray

Heather Cray is an Instructor in the School for Resource and Environmental Studies in the Faculty of Management and the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the Faculty of Science at Dalhousie University. Her research interests focus on the interconnections between living things and their feedbacks, both large and small. How decisions are made, who makes them, and what factors influence these decisions as they pertain to biotic systems is a primary area of interest. Heather’s research also examines the current knowns and unknowns in ecosystem planning and restoration, and how these elements influence our ability to conserve and manage natural systems. How we can effectively communicate, learn, teach, and create science and environmental sustainability is also a key area of Heather’s ongoing research.

Lara Gibson

Lara Gibson is a University Teaching Fellow in the Biology Department at Dalhousie University. She oversees the preparation and delivery of hands-on laboratory content for two large biodiversity-focussed classes; Animal Diversity and The Diversity of Plants and Microorganisms. She is an established natural historian, who likes to share her love of small things with those around her.