Engaging local communities with biodiversity enhancement at the University of Exeter

The BioBlitz is a biodiversity campaign that the University of Exeter organised in its Streatham campus in October 2010 in partnership with Devon Wildlife Trust, Exeter Wild City and other community stakeholders. It was linked to the launch of the university’s biodiversity enhancement plan, which aimed to raise awareness on biodiversity and sustainability.

The aim of the campaign, which attracted around 150 volunteers, comprising students, staff and the local community, was to find as many species as possible and collate these data with existing records to build better knowledge of the biodiversity. It was a memorable experience to all participants, who learnt more about biodiversity in the field itself.