CT State BioBlitz 2016

East Hartford, CT 

In 2016, CREC Two Rivers Magnet Middle School generously hosted the Connecticut State BioBlitz. A BioBlitz is an exhilarating 24-hour race to document every living species found within a particular area, in this case, the Greater Hartford area. A BioBlitz brings together scientists, local naturalists, volunteers, and community members in a shared mission: to take stock of the region’s biodiversity, one species at a time.

For one full day and night, more than a hundred scientists joined forces with middle school students and local residents to identify as many organisms as possible. As part of the Herpetology team, we hit the trails armed with headlamps, field guides, and a passion for amphibians and reptiles. Our efforts paid off—we documented 17 species of herps, contributing to an astonishing grand total of 2,675 species recorded during the event. That’s not just a number—it was a record-breaking achievement! The BioBlitz was a powerful reminder of the incredible biodiversity hiding in plain sight.