2021 BioBlitz: Game On!

Lawrenceville’s sixth annual BioBlitz is on! Members of the current School community are busy photographing flora and fauna on campus (and around the globe for remote learning students) to see who can identify the most plants and animals. Prizes - hand-carved from Tagua (Phytelephas aequatorialis) by an Ecuadorian artisan - will be awarded to the top 100 participants. Competition began on March 16 and continues through midnight on May 17. Last year’s winner, Michael Morris ‘22, set a new Lawrenceville Bioblitz record with 749 species identifications.

Becoming a BioBlitzer is simple. First, download iNaturalist to your smart phone and create an account. Email Science teacher John Clark your user name and all of your observations will be included in the “2021 Lawrenceville School BioBlitz” project. Finally, start uploading your photos, where they will be visible to naturalists from around the globe who will help identify photographed observations.

BioBlitz is the brainchild of Harvard University scientist E.O. Wilson. Wilson’s vision for the BioBlitz is, a "treasure hunt designed to find and identify the largest number of species possible in one place.”

Clark, who spearheaded the project at Lawrenceville, has a host of field guides to assist in the Blitz. “The goal of this project is to encourage students, faculty, and staff to gain a better understanding of their natural surroundings,” said Clark. “In addition, we hope to promote the biodiversity of our beautiful campus.”

For additional information, please contact Lisa M. Gillard Hanson, director of Public Relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.