Things to Consider When Preparing for a Pan-Arctic BioBlitz

Written by students at the University of St Andrews, as part of the Summer Teams Enterprise Programme (STEP) 2025

In a standard BioBlitz, according to UK organisations, a BioBlitz typically entails a 24-hour citizen science event where members of the public and volunteers get together to record as many animal and plant species as possible in a given timeframe and area. The ideal baseline for our Arctic BioBlitz entails a three-day window towards late July, preferably around 28 July which is World Nature Conservation Day. In our efforts to include as wide of an audience as possible, we are aware that our different target groups such as tourists on an Arctic cruise expedition will likely have other activities scheduled. Therefore, we propose that the timing of the activities can be adjusted accordingly to accommodate participants’ schedules, weather conditions and logistical limitations. 

Management Structure

We hope that this companion document provides practical ideas and suggestions for those organising the bioblitz. We would very much encourage involving as broad a range of participants as possible including seeking input or oversight from one or more of the following organisations:

Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group in the Arctic Council: As the Biodiversity Working Group of the Arctic Council, they value research and monitoring from Arctic peoples themselves in schemes such as the Arctic Youth Engagement Strategy.  

Inuit Circumpolar Council in the Arctic Council: This council ensures that the indigenous people of the Arctic have a platform to speak on the development of the Arctic region on an international level. We believe that participation from this council is also important for an Arctic BioBlitz to encourage indigenous participation as well.

Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO): This membership organisation represents the Arctic tourism industry. AECO can help implement the BioBlitz into the activities of as many cruise ship companies as possible, assisting with their goal of conducting expedition cruises with preserving the natural environment in mind.

Arctic Centre – University of Lapland: With programmes focused on Arctic ecosystem research, we believe that collaboration with this organisation can help provide necessary biodiversity monitoring equipment and resources for the BioBlitz.

iNaturalist is a citizen science app dedicated to helping others learn more about biodiversity and the wildlife around them. Users can submit their own observations of species which help scientists research the distribution of biodiversity around the world. We will be using iNaturalist in this Arctic BioBlitz for efficient recording of species that are uploaded to a wider network for scientific research and conservation. The main organisers of the Arctic BioBlitz should create their own Project to keep track of participant observations. It is recommended that one large Umbrella Project should be created, with Collection Projects which entail different groups participating (e.g. certain cruise companies, schools, local villages). This video provides instructions on how to create a new project for this BioBlitz.

Citizen Scientist Participants

One of our goals when planning this Arctic BioBlitz is to ensure the event happens yearly – we believe that maximising the participating audience is necessary to turn the BioBlitz from a one-time event to an annual event. Our desired demographic includes – primary and secondary students and teachers from local schools above the Arctic circle, indigenous peoples (such as in Greenland) and local residents, and guided cruise ship passengers. These different groups require different considerations, so below are points to be aware of when approaching these potential citizen scientists for participation (we focus on the Atlantic/ European Arctic for now):

Students, Teachers, and Academia

In Svalbard and East Greenland, there are opportunities for local schools and educational facilities to participate. For example, the University Centre in Svalbard, Svalbard Folkehøgskole, and Kindergarten Kullungen are all potential schools in the Arctic that can be part of this BioBlitz. Longyearbyen School is the northernmost school, located in Svalbard. Students ranging from ages 6-18 take classes that reflect the environment that they are surrounded by, such as how to hunt reindeer, and polar survival courses. For a primary and secondary school with dedicated Arctic-themed lessons, it is likely that they are equipped with fieldwork biology resources that can be used in the BioBlitz e.g. binoculars, quadrats. It would be beneficial to provide tablets that younger children can use to record observations, under a teacher’s iNaturalist account. For the older cohort of Longyearbyen School, it is likely that they will have their own smartphone devices and can create their own iNaturalist accounts, so tablets for the BioBlitz are slightly less needed but still helpful regardless. We believe that this Arctic BioBlitz template is easier to implement for schools such as Longyearbyen, as the main languages spoken at this school are Norwegian and English with the iNaturalist app having alternate language options for naming common species and user interface. However, it is important to note that schools in Svalbard have a high international transient population and often only attend for two to three years at a time – the inclusion of indigenous peoples who live in the Arctic permanently is vital for the BioBlitz to be successful, as opposed to only making the BioBlitz available for an international population that do not remain in the area long enough to observe how the Arctic ecologically changes over time. Thus, we have included incorporating indigenous peoples and local communities as a separate category of BioBlitz participants.

Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities

In East Greenland, Tunumiisut is the language of the Tunumiit. East Greenland is of high ecological interest and indigenous communities here are most familiar with the native species, therefore it is equally as important to make sure their observations are also included in this BioBlitz. Three East Greenlandic Schools to reach out to for this BioBlitz are Kulusuk school, Tasiilami Alivarpi Primary School, and Tasiilami Alivarpi Secondary School. There may be language barriers for citizens of East Greenland when using iNaturalist, for example, common words for certain species may not be used in the iNaturalist database, so there may be challenges recording observations accurately. On the bright side, there are opportunities for Greenlandic locals to add new common names to their observations on iNaturalist allowing for improved input from indigenous biodiversity literacy through adding Tunumiisut common names whilst participating in the BioBlitz. It is also important to supply necessary technology (e.g. tablets, nets, quadrats, binoculars), however locals may also have their own methods of trapping or identifying animals that should also be considered when organising the BioBlitz activities. A study by the University of Washington shows that the use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) can provide equally reliable information on population changes of Arctic mammals, in this article specifically, identifying polar bear population changes based on East Greenland indigenous hunters’ observations. (Laidre, Northey and Ugarte, 2018), showing that introducing Western practices of citizen science and wildlife monitoring featured in the Arctic BioBlitz planned should not override existing local practices.

Guided Cruise Ship Passengers

Based on our analysis of multiple different advertised Arctic cruise expeditions, the cruise companies likely to take on an Arctic BioBlitz include (but are not limited to): Asteria Expeditions, Aurora Expeditions, Hurtigruten Svalbard , HX| Hurtigruten Expeditions, Lindblad Expeditions, Waterproof Expeditions, Swan Hellenic, Swan Expeditions, Silversea Cruises, Secret Atlas, Quark Expeditions, Poseidon Arctic Voyages, Pole Position, PolarQuest, PolarNews, Noble Caledonia, and Natural World Safaris. This selection is based on wildlife themed activities advertised on their websites, the timing of expeditions corresponding with our proposed timeframe, and an avoidance of cruises that focus on on-deck “superyacht” activities, as opposed to exploring and learning about Svalbard and East Greenland. While sailing around the Arctic, tourists already engage in activities such as birdwatching and whale watching, which can certainly be adapted to fit within this BioBlitz. The Arctic BioBlitz for guided cruise ship passengers can include activities such as an inland mountainous hikes to more localised activities observing flora and fauna and beach combing. There can (and should) be mulitple groups conducting bioblitz activities in different locations when ashore. Vessel-based observations such as birdwatching and whale watching from the ship’s decks should also be an integral part in the data collection for the BioBlitz. A range of parallel bioblitz activities would not only increase the information obtained but could also help accommodate people with different levels of mobility, for example.

Logistics and Potential Resources Needed (as recommended by the Natural History Consortium): 

Most BioBlitzes often have a station or ‘basecamp’, which is a central hub to kick off the event, provide schedules and equipment, collate results and host prize-giving at the end of the event. Considering our Arctic BioBlitz spans a wide region and multiple target groups, it is ideal for multiple local basecamps to co-exist which cater to our different audiences. For example, there can be a basecamp on each cruise ship/expedition, or at a local community centre/school which is on land. All of these should be coordinated from a ‘headquarter’ which is likely to be run by the overall bioblitz organisers at the University of St Andrews. Each BioBlitz group should have a risk assessment in place. All participants shold be briefed on the do’s and don’ts and how to stay safe during the BioBlitz activities.

Below is a list of basecamp items that may be useful to acquire prior to the BioBlitz:

• Printable leaflets (that we’ve created) 
• Flatscreen TV to display iNaturalist results in real time (which are typically present in classrooms and cruise ship educational areas) 
• Maps of the local area (although recordings on iNaturalist can be tracked using GPS) 
• Binoculars 
• Trapping nets (if use is permitted at the given site)
• Hand lens 
• Quadrats 
• Pen and paper for notes in the field 
• Mobile devices (phones, tablets) to take records on iNaturalist
• Gloves – both to protect invertebrate specimens from getting heat shock when handled, and to protect against biting or stinging.
• Measuring tape to draw out transects (if required)

Example BioBlitz Activities within a three-day period

• Dawn chorus walk – a guided walk at dawn to record different kinds of birdsong (likely limited in use in the Arctic)
• Bird and mammal watching – both applicable from vessels and land
• Lichen survey – to identify different kinds of lichen and fungi on rocks
• Wildflower walk – to identify different vascular plants
• Bug capture-and-release
• Wildlife watch on deck (specifically for guided cruise ship passengers with limited mobility)
• For younger years: Nature Scavenger hunt to find different species artefacts that can be identified by a basecamp expert – however adult supervision is required for all activities involving children.
• Any land-based activities for any groups should consider the unique health and safety requirements in the Arctic, particularly the risks posed by polar bears.