Riverside Park BioBlitz – Grand River Greenway
On June 12, Ottawa County Parks will be hosting its first-ever BioBlitz at Riverside Park (from pre-dawn to dusk). This event will bring local scientists and conservation organizations together to work with community members to build an awareness of the biodiversity along the Grand River while collecting monitoring data.What’s a BioBlitz? – A BioBlitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. At a BioBlitz, scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to get a snapshot of an area’s biodiversity. Learn more.
What will we be documenting?
With your help, we will be documenting a variety of species, including:
- Birds and mammals
- Reptiles and amphibians
- Insects and arachnids
- Plant species and fungi
- Fish, mussels, and macroinvertebrates
- Water quality
Check out our full schedule below. Join us for one activity, or all of them!
Activities – Recommended for ages 10+
Nocturnal Bird Hike, 5-6 am
Bird Hike, 8-9 am
Fish survey, 9:30-10:30 am
Plant Hike, 9-10 am
Macroinvertebrate ID, 10-11 am
iNaturalist Training, 10:30-11:30 am
Mussels ID, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Break for lunch
Activities – For all ages – families welcome
Fish Shocking and ID, 1-2 pm
Plant Hike, 1:30-2:30 pm
Macroinvertebrate ID, 2-3 pm
iNaturalist Training, 2:30-3:30 pm
Insect Hike, 3-4 pm
Bird Hike, 3:30-4:30 pm
Fungi Hike, 4-5 pm
RSVPs are not required, but we do ask you check in at the registration table on the day of the event. A map of activities will be provided.
Event Partners
Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW)
Owashtanong Islands Audubon Club
White Pine Chapter of Michigan Botanical Society
Bill Martinus & Associates
Friends of Ottawa County Parks
Ottawa County Parks Foundation
Can’t make it to this event? You can still support this work by donating to the Ottawa County Parks Foundation!
The Ottawa County Parks Foundation raises funds to assist the Ottawa County Parks & Recreation Commission in achieving goals for acquiring land, developing parks and providing parks and recreation services and nature education programs for residents and visitors of Ottawa County. Programs to achieve these goals include various fundraising initiatives including efforts to secure donations of estates, solicitation of general donations from individuals and foundations, mail and email solicitations, fundraisers including annual event. Learn more & make a donation: ottawacountyparksfoundation.org