PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The 15th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Day (also known as Berkshire BioBlitz) welcomes community members of all ages to join biologists, naturalists, and environmentalists to identify as many plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as possible during a 24-hour period. 

 

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from noon on Friday, Sept. 13, to noon on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Berkshire Community College (BCC) campus, 1350 West St, Pittsfield, MA. Participants may take part at any time during this period to record a survey of their findings and experience first-hand the importance of a healthy, active ecosystem in their community. 

 

The schedule inckludes guided walks, presentations, and demonstrations led by experts. Presentation topics include native plants as insect habitat from Charley Eiseman, moths and how to observe them from Carla Rhodes, lichen from Kay Hurley, and arthropods from Bryan "Professor Bugman" Man.

 

Professor Tom Tyning will lead an amphibian, reptile, and small mammal walk that will involve checking under cover boards—a common surveying method used by herpetologists. Rene Wendell from Hoffmann Bird Club will lead an owl prowl, and Matthew Rymkiewicz will lead a demo on how to lightsheet for moths. Ben Nickley of Berkshire Bird Observatory will also conduct a bird banding demonstration. Visit www.berkshirebioblitz.org to find a detailed schedule of the 24-hour program.

 

All attendees should meet in the lobby of the Koussevitzky Arts Center on BCC's campus. Biological surveys and expert-led walks will be conducted on BCC's campus, which spans 180+ acres and boasts a diverse range of habitats, including meadows, forests, and wetlands. Presentations will take place in the K-111 Auditorium.  

 

The 15th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Day is organized and sponsored by Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Nature Academy of the Berkshires. It's co-sponsored by Berkshire Community College (BCC), Greylock Federal Credit Union, and Panera.