June 20, 2023
Whirlpool Golf Course, Niagara Falls
BioBlitz at Whirlpool Golf Course
BioBlitz at Whirlpool Golf Course
Golfers are invited to the renowned Whirlpool Golf Course on Tuesday, June 20 for a BioBlitz event! Tee off on June 20th and participate in the initiative to help document various plant and animal species to showcase the biodiversity of the site.
What is a BioBlitz?
A “BioBlitz” is a citizen-science initiative to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible. Through the use of the iNaturalist app, members of the public are able to upload photos from their phone of various plant and animal species, as well as access visual inventories of species that are common to a specific area to assist with identification efforts.
The BioBlitz at Whirlpool Golf Course was organized by Niagara Parks’ golf team to assist with achieving the Outreach and Education component of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf designation. The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf (ACSP) is an environmental education and certification program that helps golf courses protect the environment, preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf and promote environmental sustainability. Niagara Parks’ Legends on the Niagara Golf Course has proudly held the designation since 2014.
How does it work?
Participation is easy and will not interfere with your round of golf. You recognize a tree, a plant, flower, or animal, make a note of it or use a helpful app to track your observation. That’s it! Templates, instruction, and common species lists will be provided.
After a great round of golf, hand in your species check list and post your observations using the iNaturalist app. The more diverse the species list, the better your chances are to win the special gift. Be sure to provide your contact information on the back of your list.
All species can be included: plants, mammals, birds, amphibians, and insects. Species can be identified by song, call or track. Photos are encouraged.
Resources
Correctly identifying species is one of the most important parts of the BioBlitz. We recommend using iNaturalist. iNaturalist is a citizen science app that allows users to record their own observations, get help with identifications and collaborate with others to collect biodiversity information for a common purpose.
Niagara Parks and Niagara Parks Golf have biodiversity projects already in progress with iNaturalist. Observations uploaded with the app will automatically be saved.
To get started:
- Download the iNaturalist app on your phone or mobile device
- Create an iNaturalist profile
- Review iNaturalist Observation Video
- Look up the Niagara Parks Golf Bioblitz 2023
- Access the Niagara Parks Golf Common Species Guide to help identify species
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