Here at Sonoma State, we are fortunate to learn, teach, and live on an incredibly lush and biodiverse campus — but how often do we stop to appreciate the variety of species that call our local ecosystems home? California celebrates Biodiversity Day every year on September 7th, in which events are organized across the state that raise awareness of California as a global biodiversity hotspot and encourage action to protect our natural resources.
Local conservation organization Sonoma Land Trust hosted a “BioBlitz” in celebration of Biodiversity Day at their Glen Oaks Ranch preserve in Glen Ellen, inviting the public to explore the property in search of as many species as possible. Using the iNaturalist app, participants cataloged each species they found and photographed – including plants, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and fungi.
BioBlitzes like this one are a type of nature mapping, building an overall count of the species that live in a specific place and providing important data points for researchers. According to experts at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, this type of work contributes greatly to our conservation goals. California has set a goal of conserving 30% of our lands and coastal waters by 2030, allowing us to protect biodiversity, expand equitable access to nature, and build resilience to climate change.
documented using the iNaturalist app
Sonoma Land Trust’s Glen Oaks Ranch BioBlitz was a success – and a number of species were recorded. It was a wonderful way to experience and to reflect on the importance of protecting biodiversity. I hope you can join us next year, but in the meantime, please take a look around and observe the variety of life you can find right here on campus!