Bog bioBlitz changes seasons in the quest for more species

This year the 12th annual BioBlitz will held on Saturday, August 24 th , much later in the season than usual. The hope is that the shift in seasons will enable the participants to experience species that have not yet found in the Sax-Zim Bog.

Anyone who thinks it would be fun to learn more about the biodiversity of the Bog and to help document undocumented species is invited to join experts for day-long field trips. Field trip options include emphasis on insects, butterflies, birds, plants, galls, moths, aquatic species, and fungi. We even have a special family friendly field trip. Over 3500 species have been recorded in the Greater Sax-Zim Bog and we add to this total during every BioBlitz. Participants will meet at the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center at 8793 Owl Avenue in Toivola MN at 9 a.m.

Participants will choose their field trip and spend the day learning, exploring, and documenting what they find. The groups will gather back at the Welcome Center around 2:00 p.m. to discuss their discoveries and share their best finds. This event will take place outdoors. Expect varied weather conditions, biting insects (which will be documented), and walking over uneven terrain.

Bring swampers (tall rubber boots) if you have them. People who are interested in joining in are encouraged to register through the website Saxzim.org. There is no charge to participate in this event. All ages and knowledge levels are welcome.

“After listing thousands of species, you would think it would be hard to find varieties of plants, insects and other critters that haven’t been documented before, but if you know where to look and what pockets of habitat haven’t been thoroughly explored, there are still so many species yet to be found!” Sara Blanck, Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Friends of Sax-Zim Bog is a not-for profit conservation group founded in 2010 to preserve and protect the greater Sax-Zim Bog area. We do this through land preservation, education, research, and communication. Being one of the premier areas in the country to see boreal birds such as the Great Gray Owl and Boreal Chickadee, it attracts birders from around the world.