Galiano Blitz 2023
A ‘BioBlitz’ was held on Galiano Island, BC, Canada May 26th - 28th, 2023 hosted by the Institute for Multidisciplinary Ecological Research in the Salish Sea (IMERSS), the Hakai Institute, the Galiano Conservancy Association, and other community partners. Organized under the banner of the UN Ocean Decade endorsed Project ‘the Northeast Pacific Biodiversity Action Network (or ‘BioActNet’), and the Marine Life 2030 program, the event brought locals and visitors out to explore the terrestrial, freshwater, and marine biodiversity of Galiano Island, a southern Gulf Island consisting of a wide diversity of habitats from coastal forests to wetlands to sandstone and pebble beaches.
The event was a brilliant success! The event was attended by over 100 people including keen community members, experts, and students. Areas explored and surveyed included Hunterston Farm and Retreat Cove - Xetthecum. Observations made during this Blitz are being included by observers in iNaturalist - a nature App whose purpose is ‘to build a global community of 100 million naturalists by 2030, to connect people to nature and advance biodiversity science and conservation’. For some harder to identify species, tissue samples were collected for DNA barcoding, a method of specimen identification where genes are used to identify species. These specimens, once identified, will be included in the Barcode of Life Database. Over 600 species have been identified (so far) by close to 50 observers and 180 identifiers. Some of the most observed marine species were sea cauliflower (Leathesia difformis), the ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus), and the aggregating anemone (Anthopleura elgantissima).
IMERSS is keen to stay in touch with all participants regarding their findings and to share news about the outcomes of the surveys to a wider audience. Contact IMERSS and request to be added to their newsletter for future updates, including the results of the BioBlitz! And join iNaturalist to contribute your own biodiversity sightings to a growing network of community and expert biodiversity enthusiasts.
