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Sun., June 2; 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

BioBlitz Family Fun Festival
BioBlitz Family Fun Festival
BioBlitz Family Fun Festival
BioBlitz Family Fun Festival

Bring the whole family to Phipps for a free, fun festival celebrating science, art and nature!

On Sun., June 2, our annual BioBlitz festival will bring together families, students, local scientists and naturalists, teachers and community leaders to explore the biodiversity of Schenley Park, meet local scientists and naturalists, and engage with community organizations and agencies – all free and open to the public!

The festival will be held on Phipps' front lawn from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. with guided nature tours through Schenley Park starting at 8:30 a.m. and running throughout the day. This event is free to attend, and no advance registration is required; optional admission to Phipps Conservatory can be purchased if desired, but are not required for festival attendance.

Event Features

Bioblitz Nature Tours
Embark on a guided walking tour of Schenley Park with a local naturalist, exploring this unique Pittsburgh greenspace and the plants and animals that call it home. Keep your eyes peeled and cameras ready to document living organisms in the park during these surprise-filled expert tours! Themes of the walks will include:

  • ​Plants Walk with Dr. Kyle Selcer of Duquesne University | 9 a.m.
  • Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Walk with Stephen Bucklin of Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy | 9 a.m. 
  • Native PA Fishes: Walk and Electrofishing Demo with Dr. Brady Porter of Duquesne University | 10 a.m. 
  • Snails and Leaf Litter Critters Walk with Dr. Tim Pearce of Carnegie Museum of Natural History | 11 a.m. 
  • Lichen Walk with Stephen Bucklin of Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy | 11 a.m. 
  • Spider Tracks Walk with Carnegie Museum of Natural History | Noon
  • Beetle Quest Walk with Carnegie Museum of Natural History | 1 p.m.
  • Mushrooms Walk with Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club | 1 p.m. 
  • Skulls and Scats Walk with Dr. Maria Wheeler-Dubas of Phipps Conservatory | 2 p.m.

Most walks are 40 – 60 minutes in length with the exception of the Birding Walk, which is typically two hours.

Share Your Findings at the Bioblitz Research Base
Bring pictures of species you find on the walking tour of Schenley Park to the BioBlitz Research Base on Phipps' front lawn, where Phipps’ experts will identify the species and add them to the BioBlitz organism database. Here is a sample of what participants identified at BioBlitz 2023

Meet Animal Ambassadors
Learn about PA’s wildlife with presentations from Stormy Oaks Nature Conservancy. Explore how wildlife rehabilitators must understand each species' natural history and ecology to provide the best care possible. Meet some of Stormy Oaks' partners in education - live animal ambassadors and learn about what brought them into the care of a wildlife rehabilitator. Presentations will be at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. in Botany Hall auditorium. Meet on the front lawn by the Welcome Table and a staff member will lead you to the auditorium.

Explore Prehistoric Life 
Humans have been a part of the ecology of Western Pennsylvania for at least 20,000 years. Join archaeologists from Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village to learn more about our long history of interconnection. Presentations will be at Noon in Botany Hall auditorium. Meet on the front lawn by the Welcome Table and a staff member will lead you to the auditorium.

Create Botanical Art
Join Phipps Botanical Illustration Instructor Robin Menard to create your very own nature-themed botanical art piece. All materials will be provided. Join the fun in Botany Hall Kitchen at 11 a.m. and noon (Recommended for ages 10 and up) 

Meet Local Scientists and Organizations
Discover exciting scientific research taking place in Pittsburgh by meeting our own hometown experts and partner organizations at tabling displays on Phipps' front lawn.

Get the iNaturalist App

Phipps will be using the iNaturalist app to track observations during Bioblitz. iNaturalist provides a free, easy-to-use method for recording your encounters with other organisms and sharing them with others. Download it today to see firsthand how it works; you'll find "Phipps Conservatory BioBlitz" as a listed project.

Participating Organizations
Allegheny Land Trust
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Commonwealth Charter Academy
Duquesne University
Pennsylvania Master Naturalists
PennWest University
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Stormy Oaks Nature Conservancy 
Theil College
University of Pittsburgh

What Is a BioBlitz?

A BioBlitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a period of time. At a BioBlitz, attendees work together to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi and other organisms that live in a specific place. By participating, you’ll explore nature and the species around you, be a part of generating useful data for science and conservation, connect with the environment and meet others in the great outdoors, all while having lots of fun! Check out iNaturalist's Bioblitz Guide to learn more.

We hope you’ll be a part of Pittsburgh’s BioBlitz Family Fun Festival at Phipps!

For more information, please contact Maria Wheeler-Dubas, research and science education outreach manager, at mwheeler-dubas@phipps.conservatory.org or 412/622-6915, ext. 3220.

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