Here is the video from Carrina Maslovat’s and Laura Matthias’ presentation https://youtu.be/H7_HeeEQlLE. If you have an area of sun-filled Garry oak meadow on your land, and are interested to set up artificial cover object (black asphalt shingle) to observe if you have these tiny snakes (see below) on your land, please contact Linda Brooymans at the Nanaimo area Land Trust. stewardship@nalt.bc.ca The video explains all about it.
You can sign up here YESBioBlitz2025 under the community menu.
(Log in to iNaturalist. )
This is such important citizen science, which supports research and helps policy makers protect nature. Check out how your data makes a difference here. It is also a great opportunity to develop a local community of people who understand and care for nature.
Practice starts now! This event lines up with the City Nature Challenge across Canada:
April 25th – April 28th Take pictures of wild fungi, plants and animals.
April 29th– May 4th Upload and identify the species in iNaturalist.
Results will be announced by May 15th.
You can do this on your own, with your outdoor class, or with others who you can teach or learn from. You already have a friendly community of online iNaturalists who are so helpful at this time of year. Join us at:
All you need to participate in the BioBlitz are:
An iNaturalist account or app, which is free.
A smart phone or camera to capture images or sounds.
A smart phone or computer to upload your images or sounds.
You can use the iNaturalist App or the webpage iNaturalist.ca.
The area for this year’s YES Bioblitz is the same as 2024. It includes Ladysmith, South Nanaimo, Cassidy, and our coastal waters to the east – see map below. There are many public parks where you can explore, and there are reserves and private lands where you need permission. NOTE: We do not have permission to enter the Woodley Range Ecological Reserve.
Only photos and sound recordings taken during the designated dates and times (6am on April 25th to 8pm on April 28th) in this geographical location will count towards our YES BioBlitz. Of course, everything entered in iNaturalist, year-round and in other places, is still valuable.
Check out the resources and links below and note the top tips:
There are many great resources on iNaturalist and the Internet on how to participate as a school group, how to take photos that can be identified, and how to use iNaturalist. In some cases you should use Seek, which is a simpler app with more privacy controls, just as educational.
If you have questions, message us in iNaturalist or email us at yesbioblitz@gmail.com. If you want to chat, let us have your phone number and we will call back.
Past bioblitzes
How to guides
Other projects in our area!
First published in Take 5, September 2024
One winter afternoon in 2021, after a big winter storm, Carolyn and I were enjoying some time off at Cowichan Bay. As we strolled down the dock, expecting to see the sea-lions, we saw instead something that astonished us. The entire sea had turned brown – murky brown. The sea-lions had fled, along with any transient sailors. The fish and ducks had surely fled too. “It happens every year”, we were told.
Continue reading “Protecting Communities and Nature with a New Forest Act”
You can sign up here YESBioBlitz2024 under the community menu. First, you have to register or log-in. It’s all free.
This is such important citizen science, which supports research and policy maker to protect our environment. More and more studies and projects are using this open-source information. It is also a great opportunity to develop a local community of people who understand and care for the environment.
April 26th – April 29th Take pictures of wild fungi, plants and animals.
April 30th– May 5th Upload and identify the species in iNaturalist.
Results will be announced by May 15th and prizes chosen by the end of May.
New this year – we are planning a group walk in Cable bay area and in support of the Cable Bay Trail fund raising. Sign up here and meet up at Cable Bay trailhead on Nicola Rd at 10 am, Saturday April 27th.
All you need to participate in the BioBlitz are:
You can use the iNaturalist App or the webpage iNaturalist.ca.
The area for the Bioblitz is the same as 2023. It includes Ladysmith, South Nanaimo, Cassidy, and our coastal waters to the east – see map below. There are many public parks where you can explore, and there are reserves and private lands, where you need permission. NOTE: We do not have permission to enter the Woodley Range Ecological Reserve.
Only photos and sound recordings taken during the designated dates and times (6 AM on April 26thto 8 PM on April 29th) in our chosen geographical location will count towards our YES BioBlitz. Of course, everything entered in iNaturalist, year-round and in other places, is still valuable.
This year’s prizes will be a selection of nature books and cards.
There are many great resources on iNaturalist and on the internet on how to participate as a school group, how to take photos that can be identified, and how to use iNaturalist.
If you have questions please message us in iNaturalist or email us at yesbioblitz@gmail.com. If you want to chat, let us have your phone number and we will call back.
Checkout other projects in our area!
by Nikki Toxopeus
The other day, my two woodland guides and I were coming back from a beautiful walk to Long Lake and one of my young guides leapt from the path and ripped out a solitary green stalk of Scotch Broom.
Continue reading “Alien Invasions in Yellow Point-Cedar”
Yellow Point Ecological Society 