Last fall, I had the pleasure of attending my first BioBlitz near Asheville, North Carolina. A BioBlitz is defined as an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Usually, this is done by groups of scientists, naturalists and volunteers who conduct a thorough field study over a 24-hour period.

A project of this magnitude takes a lot of planning and organization. Most BioBlitzes are held in places that have some special status that makes conservation or preservation a priority. For instance, a conservation organization such as the Nature Conservancy may have purchased a property because it contains rare ecosystems, which in turn may contain unusual plants or animals that have not been scientifically described. Further investigation is warranted, and that is where a BioBlitz comes in. A BioBlitz provides a lot of general information that gives some idea of the possibilities for more in-depth studies. They also help land managers determine the conservation status of the property.