JASON SETNYK
Community members across the Upper St. Lawrence region helped document local biodiversity during the 2026 Upper St. Lawrence Community BioBlitz, contributing thousands of wildlife observations through the iNaturalist app during the week-long event.
Organized by the River Institute alongside partners including the City of Cornwall, Raisin Region Conservation Authority, South Nation Conservation, and Bird Friendly Cornwall, the event challenged community scientists to upload as many species observations as possible over the course of the week.
The result was 2,586 observations uploaded and 623 species identified across the region, ranging from birds and turtles to insects, fungi, fish, and native plants.
Top contributors recognized during a celebration at the River Institute were Lissa Deslandes, Grayson Fry, Marc Jalbert, Wren Shay, and Jordan Ann Kevan de Haan.
“A BioBlitz is where, for a set amount of time, you ask community scientists or volunteers in the community to upload as many observations of different species as possible to the iNaturalist platform,” said Emilie DeRochie, River Strategy Coordinator and educator with the River Institute. “Whether it’s plants, animals, insects, or whatever it might be, it all contributes valuable data.”
DeRochie said the event saw stronger engagement than the previous year despite taking place over a shorter period.
“Last year it was a month-long BioBlitz and we had around 3,000 observations,” she said. “This year it was just a week and we had around 2,600 observations, so the engagement was incredible.”
A BioBlitz is a community science event where residents work together to identify and record species within a specific area and timeframe. Participants use apps such as iNaturalist to photograph and upload sightings, helping scientists and conservation groups track biodiversity and ecosystem health.
The event encourages residents to explore local parks, wetlands, shorelines, trails, and even their own neighbourhoods while documenting wildlife encounters. Organizers say the information collected can help identify invasive species, rare species, and environmental changes that researchers may otherwise miss.
“This is important because biologists can’t be everywhere all at once,” said DeRochie. “Community members can provide really valuable biological data and help fill critical data gaps. We actually use some of this information in reporting on the health of the river and adjacent ecosystems.”
DeRochie emphasized that the event is open to everyone, regardless of scientific background.
“No scientific training is needed,” she said. “The app is very user-friendly. You take a photo of the organism and the app provides suggestions as to what the species might be. Other users can then help confirm the identification.”
Participants shared memorable experiences from their time exploring the region during the BioBlitz.
Wren Shay described discovering an active wood frog breeding pool at Gray’s Creek Conservation Area.
“There were so many wood frogs in this pond that it almost looked like the water was boiling,” Shay said. “They were so loud it sounded like a bunch of turkeys. That was really neat.”
Lissa Deslandes said she enjoyed visiting local conservation areas and spotting species she had not seen in years.
“My favourite sighting was an evening grosbeak,” Deslandes said. “I hadn’t seen one in a couple years. I also saw a gray tree frog in April, which I’d never seen before.”
Jordan Ann Kevan de Haan said the experience was especially rewarding because it offered an opportunity to learn alongside other participants.
“I enjoyed BioBlitzing with Lissa, who had done well last year and shared her time with me so I could learn from her,” de Haan said.
For Grayson Fry, the BioBlitz marked a successful first experience with the event.
“It was fun to push the limits,” Fry said. “I was out in the rain, too. My favourite observation was a pine warbler, my first of the year.”
The River Institute focuses on research related to freshwater ecosystems, water quality, invasive species, fish populations, and conservation issues connected to the St. Lawrence River.
DeRochie said organizers expect the Upper St. Lawrence Community BioBlitz to continue annually.
“It’s a really great way to engage the community with the environment while also gaining valuable biological data,” she said.
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