Help 200 children of Toledo attend Bioblitz

This year’s Bioblitz event is set to be another one for the books. The planning committee has been hard at work to plan activities for this year’s event. In addition to identifying three target schools to attend the event this year, we have also narrowed down the list of education topics. This year will focus not only on research, but will also highlight Ya’axche’s work in protected areas enforcement. The aim of this year’s event is to promote conservation in its various forms and empower youth to make a difference directly and in their households. The following topics will be central to this year’s event:

Research and Monitoring

• Camera Trapping- Students will learn about the use of camera trapping in biodiversity monitoring. In addition, student will be shown various photo datasets from Ya’axche’s monitoring grid to demonstrate various wildlife species that are able to thrive in protected areas and climate-smart farms.
• Botanical Monitoring: Students will learn basic tree identification skills, and the role of forest conservation in a balanced ecosystem.
• Avian Monitoring: Students will learn how to use binoculars and learn the basics of bird identification. This includes a short birding walk with Ya’axche’s Science team and staff in a basic point count of avian species in the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve.

Protected Areas Management (Enforcement)

• Map Reading and Orienteering: Students will learn how to read a map, use a GPS and compass. Students will navigate around the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve field station with some of Ya’axche’s very own enforcement rangers!