4th Wildlife Viewing & Nature Tourism Academy

It is not uncommon for bioblitzes to take place on public lands, but has the power of these events been fully realized? In Nebraska, our state lands are either diamonds or diamonds in the rough with varying levels of staff, resources, and wildlife viewing opportunities. This presentation will take participants through the steps of harnessing the power of bioblitzes on public lands to meet the multifaceted needs of their agency. In Nebraska, bioblitz events are being used to: 1) engage diverse audiences in community science-based wildlife viewing; and 2) collect data that is often under-captured, thus better informing the state agency on both the biodiversity of state lands and what opportunities exist for increased wildlife viewing on these lands. We will also explore the creation of resources that allows for the facilitation of bioblitz events across the state and how these resources can be utilized in other wildlife viewing and education initiatives.