Nature Conservancy of Canada wants Calgarians to have a Backyard BioBlitz

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is calling on Calgarians to get out in the backyard to participate in a weekend long bio blitz.

It’s the non-profit agency’s fourth annual effort to identify as many species as possible between Aug. 1 and Aug. 5.

Nature Conservancy of Canada spokesperson Nicole Aronitz visited CTV Morning Live Thursday to explain it to host Jefferson Humphries.

“It’s a great tool to help conservation groups and scientists to try and get a better snapshot of what’s in the area and help with the ecosystem,” Aronitz said.

According to the organization's website, “all you need is a smartphone, tablet or digital camera. Just snap photos or record audio of birds, insects, plants and other creatures wherever you happen to be.

“Then share your observations to help scientists and environmental organizations understand and protect nature.”

“Maybe you just found a new species,” Aronitz added. “Something you really like, (or) something you have a new appreciation for, or maybe an invasive species, or maybe even an endangered species that we didn’t know was in that area."

Aronitz said anyone is welcome to view the results from the first three years to get a sense of the benefits derived from the Backyard BioBlitz.

“You can go back and look at results from previous years when you have the iNaturalist app, which is what we run it (the Backyard BioBlitz) through.

“You don’t have to be an experienced naturalist to participate in this,” she added. “You can just go out and take pictures of things in your back yard on your free time or if you’re going out to Kananaskis or Banff, feel free to do that there, too.

“You don’t need cell service to use the app,” she added, “and you don’t even have to know how to identify things – just take a picture of something you see that you want to add in and then there are actually dedicated scientists that use the app and they will identify them if you want them to.

The Backyard Bio Blitz starts Thursday and goes through Monday.

For more information, or to register, go here.