UL’s student-led Environmental Society, with support from UL’s Environmental Committee, UL, Limerick’s Irish Wildlife Trust members and Ballyhoura Development Company, are delighted to announce UL BioBlitz 2024 which will take place on UL’s campus on Tuesday, April 16 th . The BioBlitz will be coordinated from the former Millstream café at the entrance to the Living Bridge. The day will feature several events including public talks and nature walks.
At 11am UL students will welcome UCC, TCD and TUD student teams to UL, and the BioBlitz agenda will be outlined. Students will receive blitz training to assist them with their afternoon recording activities at their assigned habitats, and with the incredible support from Limerick IWT, the student teams will compete to record the most species in their assigned areas.
All UL students and staff are invited to take part in the nature walks and record biodiversity on the day. To register your interest in participating in a Nature Walk please log on to Eventbrite and select which walks you wish to attend. If you wish to be a BioBlitz recorder follow the instructions below.
On UL Campus Nature Walks
8am
Bird Walk along UL's River Bank with Limerick ornithologists Tom Tarpey and Maura Turner. Meet at the Millstream Café, Living Bridge
1pm
Lunchtime Nature Walk with Dr Yvonne Ryan. Meet outside the PESS building.
Recording Biodiversity on UL Campus
11:30am Bioblitz training in the Millstream Cafe. e.g. installing apps, how to record, answer questions.
2pm BioBlitz kick-off after safety briefing in the Millstream cafe.
What you need to take part:
(1.) A mobile device with a camera and the ability to download an app.
(2.) Hiking boots or wellies to trek over damp meadows.
(3.) Long trousers to avoid insect bites.
(4.) At least one team mate to support and keep each other safe.
(5.) Click here to download the ArcGIS Survey123 App on your mobile phone device. Select the operating system that relates to your device.
(6.) Click here and open the UL BioBlitz 2024 survey and permit ArcGIS Survey123 to access the camera on your device.
(7.) From the app home screen choose 'Continue without signing in' and allow ArcGIS Survey123 to use your location. The UL BioBlitz 2024 survey will download in the Survey 123 app.
(8.) Click on the survey, i.e. the bumblebee on the dandelion image.
(9.) Click the blue + Collect button at the bottom of the screen to open the recording screen.
(10.) The app will record the location where you take each photograph.
TERMS & CONDITIONS and HEALTH & SAFETY
- All bioblitz survey participants must attend the safety briefing at 2pm on April 16th in the Millstream Cafe.
- Teamwork is key! Teams should be made up of a minimum of 2 persons and a maximum of 6 persons.
- No person should survey alone.
- Participants should prioritise their personal safety or that of others while conducting the bioblitz.
- Participants are not permitted to enter any water course (river, stream or fountain) on campus.
- Participants must not pick any plants.
- Participants must not touch giant hogweed.
- All photographic material uploaded should be directly relevant to UL Bioblitz 2024
- Photography deemed to be garnered from sources other than first-hand photographs of UL locations will be discounted.
- No photographs of persons should be taken and used for this competition without their express permission.
- Teams can be made up of staff and/or students from any faculty or department in the University or Limerick, UCC, Trinity College Dublin, Technological University Dublin and local Limerick ecologists.
- Proof of BioBlitz registration is required by the scavenger hunt coordinator before a prize is distributed. If proof is not provided the prize will not be awarded.
- Team members can be part of one team only.
- The decision by the UL BioBlitz recording committee to award prize's is final.
- By participating in the UL BioBlitz 2024 you are agreeing to share your photographs online through the UL GIS.
Should you have any questions about the UL BioBlitz 2024 please contact the event coordinator, elizabeth.gabbett@ul.ie, UL Geography.