BioBlitz UK: How Community Wildlife Events Boost Biodiversity & Engagement

Community wildlife events like BioBlitz's are more than fun days out - they offer powerful value for town, parish, and community councils. They help uncover what species are present, engage people in nature, build local ownership, and often feed into statutory biodiversity duties. If you're considering one, here’s why they matter and what they can deliver.

What is a BioBlitz?

A BioBlitz is an intense but usually short‐term event where scientists, volunteers, families, schools and nature‐enthusiasts gather to try to record as many species of plants, animals, fungi and other organisms as possible within a defined area and time (often 24 hours).

In Wales, many BioBlitz events have taken place already: for example the Gŵyl BioBlitz was held at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, and other various wildlife projects via local record centres. They serve both scientific and social aims - gathering data, discovering rare species, and helping people feel connected to local nature.

Why These Events Matter for Councils

Here are several reasons a council might want to host or support a BioBlitz (or similar wildlife recording event):

1. Evidence for Biodiversity Duty / Section 6 Reporting

   Events like BioBlitz feed records into biodiversity datasets (local record centres, national databases). These are useful evidence for councils’ biodiversity duty in Wales (Section 6 of Environment (Wales) Act) and for demonstrating progress under the Nature Recovery Action Plan.

   
   

2. Engagement & Awareness

   They offer a way to involve the community (schools, volunteers, local experts) giving people first‐hand experience of local wildlife. This builds support for other biodiversity measures and helps raise awareness of why actions like green corridors, hedgerow maintenance, or changing mowing regimes are needed.

   
   

3. Discovering Hidden Biodiversity & Priorities

   BioBlitz's often reveal overlooked species, unusual habitats, or populations that might need protection. For example, record centre data from North Wales (Cofnod) capture species observations via BioBlitz events.

   
   

4. Path to Funding & Partnerships

   Having up‐to‐date species data and demonstrating community interest helps when applying for grants, partnering with wildlife trusts, or supporting planning applications under policies like “Net Benefit for Biodiversity” in Wales. It shows concrete, local action.

   
   

5. Legacy Impact

   Events can leave behind resources: species lists, mapped data, volunteer networks, raised enthusiasm. These often feed into longer‐term monitoring, planning, and nature recovery strategies.

What Councils Should Think About

There are key things to consider to ensure a BioBlitz is effective:

• Location & Habitat Variety: Having diverse habitat (pond, meadow, hedgerow, wood) increases what you record.

• Partnerships: Local record centres, wildlife trusts, schools, community groups.

• Timing: Late spring/summer often gives most species, but autumn BioBlitz's are useful too (fungi, migrating species).

• Data Use: Clear plan for recording, mapping and using data afterwards (for reporting, future planning, grant applications).

• Community Engagement: Publicity, guided walks, workshops to make it accessible.

Why BioBlitz's Matter for Welsh Councils

• Compliance with the Section 6 Duty - councils need to maintain/enhance biodiversity and promote ecosystem resilience. BioBlitz's provide real, local data.

• Wales’s policy on Net Benefit for Biodiversity (Planning Policy Wales) expects biodiversity enhancements to be part of developments, planning, and local strategy. Councils demonstrating active local nature recording are in a stronger position.

• Use of Welsh record centres (e.g. Cofnod) and existing events as models.

  
  

Getting in Touch

If your council is thinking of running a BioBlitz (or similar wildlife event), Green Council Biodiversity Solutions can help with planning, recording protocols, working with partners, and turning the results into wildlife recovery that supports your biodiversity duty, reporting, and local strategy.

Contact Us