Biodiversity Challenge (BioBlitz) 2024

Hochschule Geisenheim University is taking part in the Biodiversity Challenge/BioBlitz from May 2 to June 28, 2024 for the second year in a row as a member of the Association for European Life Science Universities(ICA). We are addressing the important topic of biodiversity on and around the university campus in the form of an interactive hands-on activity for students, staff and residents.

What is the Biodiversity Challenge (BioBlitz 2024)?

A BioBlitz is an attempt to record all wild species in a given area and time period. The Biodiversity Challenge is a "BioBlitz" in which the number of species found on campus is counted. Anyone and everyone - students, staff and visitors - can take part and enter species in the Observation.org, Obsidentify or Obsmapp apps. The number of species registered in the app can be tracked in real time. The progress of other participating institutions can also be followed live.

During the two months of BioBlitz 2024, a wide range of hands-on activities and events will be organized again this year. In addition to integration into courses, various events will be organized where interested parties will have the opportunity to identify species with experts as part of science walks and take part in the BioBlitz for Hochschule Geisenheim University.

The ICA is a network of more than 50 universities from the EU and neighboring countries working on the circular bioeconomy (agriculture, forestry, food value chain and bio-based economy), sustainable use of natural resources, biodiversity, environmental protection and rural development.

In October 2022, member institutions issued a communiqué entitled "Bending the Curve for Biodiversity: challenges and opportunities for life science universities," in which ICA members committed to placing biodiversity conservation at the center of their activities.