Registration for BioBlitz surveys is now closed, but everyone is welcome at the Biodiversity Festival on Saturday, August 4, from 12:30 to 2:00 in the afternoon at the Dixon Refuge boat launch.

From the evening of Friday, August 3, to the evening of Saturday, August 4, join us at the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge for a spectacular BioBlitz! Teams of citizen scientists will join experts in surveying the 3,000-acre site for as many species as possible among dozens of different organism groups—from fungi to birds, mammals to ants, and reptiles to plants.

The main activities will take place on Saturday, August 4, with a Biodiversity Festival in the afternoon suitable for all ages and mobility levels. Some nighttime activities are scheduled for the previous Friday evening, August 3, including an "owl prowl" and a bat hike. You are invited to participate in as much or as little of the 24-hour BioBlitz as you like.

During TWI's first-ever BioBlitz at the Refuge in 2015, participants identified more than 675 species. Help us beat this amazing record and learn even more about biodiversity at the Refuge in 2018! No matter your experience level, there will be ways for you to be part of the event. Surveying activities are appropriate for ages 10 and up, except where indicated.

Click here for an overview of the schedule for the 24-hour event.

For more information on the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge, including its location in the Illinois River Valley, click here.