10th Edition This Year... Expanded Locations and Participation
Offline Survey at Bukseoul Dream Forest on the 24th
"Mini-Explorations" at Namsan, World Cup Park, and Seoul Botanic Park
First-Ever Online Participation Now Available
An opportunity to explore hundreds of species within Seoul alongside experts is now available. Marking its 10th anniversary this year, BioBlitz Seoul has expanded its survey bases and opened up participation through online channels as well.
On May 2, Seoul City announced that it is recruiting both online and offline participants for BioBlitz Seoul, which will be held on May 24. From May 17 to 24, a "Biodiversity Exploration Week" will also take place. The term "BioBlitz" is a compound word combining "Bio," meaning living organisms, and "Blitz," meaning a large-scale attack, and refers to an event where experts and the public work together to find and list as many species as possible in a given location within 24 hours.
BioBlitz Seoul was first held in 2015 and celebrates its 10th edition this year. Except for 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, it has been held annually. Seoul City is the only local government that has consistently hosted a biodiversity survey event like this every year.
How many species in Bukseoul Dream Forest?... Exploration also at Namsan and Seoul Botanic Park
For its 10th edition, this year’s event has expanded both its locations and participation methods, moving away from the previous format of a single two-day, one-night survey at one site. Various explorations will be conducted around May 22, which is the International Day for Biological Diversity.
The offline survey will take place on May 24 at Bukseoul Dream Forest. Home to Opaesan and Byeokosan, Bukseoul Dream Forest is the third largest park in Seoul and has high ecological value. A total of 200 participants?60 for the "Survey Program" and 140 for the "Education Program"?will be recruited on a first-come, first-served basis through Seoul's park website. The application deadlines are May 7 and May 9, respectively.
In the Survey Program, experts and citizens from middle school age and above will freely explore a variety of species across 7 to 9 different taxonomic groups. Participants will record their findings and help complete an ecological map. The Education Program will divide elementary school students and above into 10 groups, which will observe resident species by taxonomic group and receive tailored educational sessions.
During Seoul’s Biodiversity Exploration Week, "mini-explorations" tailored to each location will be held at Namsan, Seoul Botanic Park, and World Cup Park. Bird surveys will take place at both Namsan and Seoul Botanic Park. At Bukseoul Dream Forest, a morning bird survey and a nighttime insect survey will be conducted.
Notably, BioBlitz Seoul will introduce an "online survey" for the first time this year. Participants can observe Seoul’s protected wildlife in their daily lives and upload photos or location data to the "Naturing Mission" nature activity sharing platform, contributing to a distribution map. Outstanding observers will receive a field guide as a reward. There are 55 species designated as protected wildlife in Seoul, including the Little Ringed Plover, the Tree Frog, the Swallowtail Butterfly, and the Korean Gudgeon.
'BioBlitz' events around the world
The purpose of holding BioBlitz Seoul is to provide an opportunity to experience the value of biodiversity and the importance of coexistence at a time when biodiversity is declining. According to the United Nations’ third Global Biodiversity Outlook report, biodiversity has decreased, with 31% of the world’s species becoming extinct due to climate change and urban development.
A Seoul City official explained, "For 10 years, citizens and ecological experts have consistently explored various wild animals and plants in the city, helping people recognize that the forests and streams around us are potential spaces for biodiversity and reminding us that they are legacies to pass on to future generations." Some students who participated in the event have even gone on to study biology-related fields.
BioBlitz events that allow people to experience biodiversity are held not only in Korea but also around the world. BioBlitz Korea, hosted by the Korea National Arboretum, first began in 2010 at the Baekdudaegan National Arboretum in Bonghwa County. Overseas, since 1996, major national parks in the United States, Australia, Canada, and other countries have held BioBlitz events annually.
Lee Suyeon, Director General of Seoul’s Garden City Bureau, said, "This year, as BioBlitz Seoul marks its 10th anniversary, we have diversified the program to reflect on past achievements and enable more citizens to participate. I hope many people will take an interest in the importance of biodiversity and the value of urban nature."
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