A BioBlitz is a way to record and identify as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. As part of Council’s Marine Diversity program, we are calling on all local students to record animal and plant species with the iNaturalist app on a smart phone or using a species checklist for younger students. This will help us understand more about the unique intertidal platform environment.
Register now to ensure you get all the information about this activity when it becomes available.
Council support
Council will provide supporting resources in the lead-up to the BioBlitz, including a webinar on how to participate, factsheets and species checklist for primary school students to record their sightings. The Eastern Suburbs Sustainable Schools Network will hold a teachers rockpool exploration session in March, to familiarise educators with iNaturalist and some of the intertidal species to look out for.
The Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) will have a BioBlitz basecamp at Bondi Beach and there will be a roving marine expert and Waverley Council staff member at Bondi and Bronte Beach to answer your questions. Students don’t need to know what the species is they have found, once the observation photo has been uploaded into iNaturalist, the App will suggest what it thinks your observation is and members of the iNaturalist community will confirm.
The time selected for this activity is to coincide with low tide so the rocks will be exposed. However, at Bronte the conditions are variable and the rocks may not be fully exposed. Waverley Council will monitor the expected conditions and may provide a different sea creature observation activity if it looks like conditions will not be suitable.
Important information
This will be a self guided activity on the rock platforms to identify animal and plant species found on the rocks at low tide. Students must be supervised by teachers or school staff at all times. Whilst Waverley Council staff and marine experts will be on hand, Council will not be supervising or leading the activity. We will provide information prior to the BioBlitz on how to take part safely and get the most out of this learning opportunity.
This event is suitable for primary and high school students.
What to bring on the day
- Phone with camera
- iNaturalist App downloaded on your phone
- Reusable water bottle
- Enclosed shoes
- Hat
- Sunscreen
The BioBlitz pledge
You will be asked to accept this pledge on the schools behalf at checkout
- Our school is participating in the BioBlitz of our own free will and we are responsible for the student’s safety and that of participating staff
- Students and teachers will not handle or harm any marine animals or plants during the BioBlitz
- The school acknowledges this is a self-guided activity and Waverley Council will not be providing supervision, and that students will be accompanied by the required number of supervising adults
- Participants will wear appropriate clothing and bring required equipment as advised on the booking page
- Individuals take full responsibility for their personal belongings which may be used in the course of the BioBlitz, including mobile phones
- The school or any individuals, will not hold Waverley Council responsible for any loss or damage arising from our participation in the BioBlitz
For more information visit: https://events.humanitix.com/waverley-school-marine-bioblitz
