Tolaga Bay BioBlitz

Department of Conservation —  02/04/2015

Photographer Mark Coote recently went to Tolaga Bay,55 km north of Gisborne, to document the Uawanui Bioblitz. He shares with us today…

Opoutama / Cooks Cove field trip. Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Tolaga Bay. Photo: Mark Coote ©

I had the very good fortune to photograph a BioBlitz in Tolaga Bay for The Allan Wilson Centre, a national network of over 100 researchers committed to securing the future of New Zealand’s biodiversity and improving human and environmental health through local engagement.

Opoutama / Cooks Cove field trip. Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Tolaga Bay. Photo: Mark Coote ©

A BioBlitz is a 24-hour event in which teams of scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to find and identify as many species of plants, animals, microbes, fungi, and other organisms as possible.

Basecamp activities at Tolaga Bay Area School Gym. Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Photo: Mark Coote ©

We were hosted by Tolaga Bay Area School and set up ‘basecamp’ in their gymnasium.

The entire school joined in.

Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Tolaga Bay Area School. Photo: Mark Coote ©

Into the night. Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Tolaga Bay. Photo: Mark Coote ©

Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Tolaga Bay. Photo: Mark Coote ©

Data is still being collated, but the final total will be well over 500 different species.

Weta. Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Tolaga Bay. Photo: Mark Coote ©

Basecamp at Tolaga Bay Area School Gym. Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Tolaga Bay. Photo: Mark Coote ©

Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Tolaga Bay. Tatarahake field trip. Photo: Mark Coote ©

DOC ranger helps with basecamp activities at Tolaga Bay Area School Gym. Uawanui Sustainability Project Bio Blitz. Tolaga Bay. Photo: Mark Coote ©

This post is from Mark Coote’s blog. See more images from the event here.

Thanks Mark for letting us share your story (and gorgeous photos) on the Conservation Blog.

One response to Tolaga Bay BioBlitz

  1. 
    Anna McKnight 13/04/2015 at 8:28 am

    Wow! Great photos!! 🙂 What a neat idea to get the next generation into biodivesity & the science of identification & naming species!