(Photo: UMN)
Great Lakes Region — April 22, 2026
The 2026 Sea Grant Great Lakes BioBlitz officially began on Earth Day across the United States and Canada, launching a month-long citizen science effort to document biodiversity throughout the Great Lakes basin.
The initiative, led by the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and the Center for Great Lakes Literacy, encourages participants to record wildlife observations using the iNaturalist platform as part of a coordinated regional survey of plant and animal species.
The BioBlitz runs from April 22 to May 24, 2026, and spans shoreline ecosystems, inland waterways, wetlands, and urban green spaces across states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, as well as parts of Ontario, Canada.
Organizers say the goal is to generate large-scale biodiversity data that can help scientists better understand species distribution patterns across one of the world’s largest freshwater systems.
Researchers involved in the project describe BioBlitz events as a way to combine public participation with ecological monitoring, allowing educators, students, and community members to contribute directly to scientific datasets.
The effort also builds on a broader push within Sea Grant programs to increase environmental literacy and expand public engagement in Great Lakes research initiatives.
Officials say participation levels in the early stages will be an important indicator of how effectively citizen science can supplement traditional ecological field surveys across such a large and diverse region.
The BioBlitz continues through late May, with weekly challenges and data collection activities expected to expand participation across both rural and urban communities.