The Mossom Creek BioBlitz, which kicked off on August 18th, 2017, was the first of its kind in the Tri-Cities. The event provided local residents with valuable interactions with local nature and an opportunity to bring scientists together from across the Lower Mainland for an intense period biological study in the Mossom Creek Watershed and surrounding area.
The all-weekend event provided the public with several opportunities to participate in nature presentations and guided walks, including a Night Creatures of Mossom Creek presentation by owl and bat experts, as well as two guided tours of the Mossom Creek watershed. All public events followed the Mossom philosophy of providing meaningful interactions with nature experts through small group activities. Because of their success, we will continue to offer public nature tours at the hatchery throughout the year.
Local community participated through hands on volunteering during the 24-hour BioBlitz study that took place in the Mossom Creek watershed, the Mossom Creek estuary, the IOCO townsite and other identified areas in the Schoolhouse Creek North watershed. The nature study brought together local residents, students, scientists and experts to help identify and catalogue over 250 species within the watershed. This hands on experience by local volunteers means that we have increased our ability to engage local community in citizen science activities and created lasting relationships with local stewards, partners and experts.
We are tremendously grateful for the contributions of individual volunteers, our many science experts, grantors and partners.
This study has provided a tremendous baseline of biological information that will be made available to the public, including local governments, scientists, developers, the Provincial Ministry of Environment and Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The Mossom Creek BioBlitz was an important opportunity to bring people together to celebrate nature as a part of Canada 150. While the resulting report, which will be available in November, is a key piece of the event, the public participation is what separates BioBlitzes from traditional biological inventories.
This BioBlitz has helped create a sense of place for those that participated in the event and hopefully connecting people in new and expanded ways to natural places in Port Moody.
Pictures from the BioBlitz:
A special thank you to our sponsors, partners and grantors:
Mossom Creek BioBlitz in the news:
Tri City News: Studying the secrets of a Port Moody watershed
Tri City News: Big turnout for BioBlitz in Port Moody
SCCP: Endangered Times newsletter
Burk Mountain Naturalists: Mossom Creek BioBlitz a 24-hour marathon in counting species
Noons Creek features Mossom Creek BioBlitz
iNaturalist Mossom Creek BioBlitz project
