Wind River BioBlitz

What Is Wind River BioBlitz?

Join us at the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative Headquarters near Morton, Wyoming, this year to discover this Wyoming gem, survey wildlife, and have a blast with your family and friends! Registration will open soon.

Unable to participate in-person? No problem, you can use iNaturalist to observe species anywhere in the state for the annual statewide Wyoming BioBlitz for a weekend. Dates TBA.  

The Wyoming BioBlitz is a free, one-of-a-kind opportunity for families, students, and all nature-lovers to learn about plants and wildlife and help scientists survey them. During this weekend-long event, participants will team up with biologists to search for and document as many plants and animals as possible at the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative Headquarters near Morton, Wyoming.  

 

Why Participate in Wind River BioBlitz?

If you’re reading this, you probably already know how fun and exciting it is to notice new or uncommon species around you. Wyoming BioBlitz feeds that sense of curiosity and discovery by encouraging people to observe everything around them, from the moose to the millipedes. By dedicating some time to looking for new species, you’re also likely to learn about wildlife you didn’t even know about.

Wyoming BioBlitz is also a great opportunity for families to spend time together doing something out of the ordinary. No level of expertise is needed, which means family members of all ages can enjoy a weekend of exploring nature and the biodiversity in it.

Participating in Wyoming BioBlitz also contributes scientific data that are useful to scientists and conservationists working to study and protect Wyoming’s wonderful plants and wildlife.

Finally, Wyoming BioBlitz provides a hands-on opportunity to learn from experts. Participants will meet local scientists and learn how they study their subjects. Teachers can also receive two Professional Standards Teaching Board (PTSB) credits for participating.

Register for Wind River BioBlitz 2024! View the full event schedule here.

Thanks to generous grants, Wind River BioBlitz is free for all registrants. If you would like to make an optional event donation to help support our Community Naturalist program and future free events, thank you! You may do so here. 

Need more convincing? Here's a video recap of Wyoming BioBlitz 2021:

Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative

For more than a century, conservation buffalo were absent from the Wind River Indian Reservation. The Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative and their partners are working to bring them back. At BioBlitz this year, we will get to be part of this homecoming by surveying the land to quantify the diversity of the plants and animals as reintroduction is underway. Learn more about the initiative here.

Camping, Food, and Water

We will be using the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative Headquarters as our registration and camping site. Camping is included with registration with limited power. Running water is available but you will need to bring reusable water bottles and other containers for your water use. Bathrooms are available on-site.

Tent camping at Wyoming BioBlitz 2018. Photo: Evan Barrientos/Audubon Rockies

FAQs

1. What types of surveys will there be?

The types of inventory activities will depend on the species that the scientists are trying to find and document. Different groups will look for birds, fish, plants, invertebrates, mammals, microbes, fungi, etc. Some will be land-based; others will require wading in shallow water.

2. Who can participate?

Everyone! Children can participate in inventory activities, but they must be accompanied by an adult. There will also be activities just for children. Teachers can earn 2 PTSB credits. 

3. If I have a mobility issue such as using a wheelchair, can I still participate?

Yes, although many of the survey teams will be on trails that may make participation challenging.

4. What should I wear?

You will be outside and in the field, so you should dress accordingly. Layering is highly recommended to make you most comfortable. You should also bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen to protect you from potential sun exposure. Wear sturdy shoes if you plan on using the hiking trails.

5. What happens if it rains or there is bad weather?

Nature happens despite the weather. Wyoming BioBlitz will take place rain or shine. 

6. Where do I sign up?

Register for Wind River BioBlitz 2024 here.

 

Workshops

Registration is required for Wyoming BioBlitz attendees but this year registration is free. We'll have workshops throughout the weekend at both the Headquarters and in the field to accommodate all attendees, all ages, and hiking abilities. 

Adult Workshops - TBA

Peruse through last year's workshops:

Get to Know Your Plant Families!
Plant identification can seem overwhelming, but not so much once you learn to recognize the features that distinguish plant families. This workshop will introduce participants to sets of key physical traits used by botanists for field identification of several of the largest flowering plant families in Wyoming. During the workshop participants will have the opportunity to practice and develop their family-level in-the-field identification skills. Bring a hand lens (10X) if you have one. This workshop will be taught by Dave Tank, Ben Legler, and Ernie Nelson of the UWyo Rocky Mountain Herbarium.

What Is That Bug?! An Insect Identification Workshop
Have you ever come across a bug and wondered, “What on Earth is that?!” Well, this workshop was made for you! UWyo Ph.D. Candidates (and insect enthusiasts) Meg Wilson and Mel Torres along with Scott Schell, UWyo Extension entomologist, will cover the basics of insect identification with a focus on what is and isn't an insect, how to identify common insects in Wyoming, and how to capture both aquatic and terrestrial insects. Once we finish discussing the essentials, get ready for some insect-catching fun! We will challenge our newfound identification and trapping skills to nab—and get a closer look at—Medicine Lodge's local insects.

Youth Workshops - TBA

Peruse through last year's workshop:

Catching Insects

Join Science Kids and Wyoming PBS on an adventure during this insect-catching workshop from Nature Wyoming! We will learn insect-catching techniques and how to identify what we catch. Perfect for children ages 6 to 16. This workshop will be taught by Julie Rieder and staff from Science Kids, and Matt Wright with Wyoming PBS.

PTSB Credits

We offer two Professional Standards Teaching Board (PTSB) credits for teachers participating in Wyoming BioBlitz. To receive credits, you must be a PTSB-certified teacher, sign up for the credit by contacting Dusty Downey (ddowney@audubon.org, 504-453-4124), and participate in all activities during the event.

Event Organizers

Wyoming BioBlitz 2023 is co-hosted by Audubon Rockies, UW Biodiversity Institute, Wyoming State Parks, Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, High Plains American Indian Research Institute, Rocky Mountain Herbarium, and Wyoming Native Plant Society. 

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The Annual Wyoming BioBlitz

Audubon Rockies hosted the first BioBlitz in 2008. The Biodiversity Institute joined as a partner in 2014 and has been involved ever since. The BioBlitz is a multi-day event in which teams of scientists, teachers, volunteers, environmental educators, and community members join forces to find, identify, and learn about as many local plant, insect, and animal species as possible. 

Mission

The Annual Wyoming BioBlitzes brings together scientists and the public to survey for every type of organism we can find in an area within a couple of days.  The BioBlitz will be a weekend-long event in which teams of scientists, teachers, volunteers, environmental educators, and community members join forces to find, identify, and learn about as many local plant, insect, and animal species as possible.