Celebrate Nature During the Great Canadian BioBlitz

Peterborough, ON – The City of Peterborough is inviting residents to step outside and celebrate the beauty of nature and learn more about local biodiversity during the Great Canadian BioBlitz. 

A bio-blitz is a fun and educational way to record observations of plants, animals, and fungi, that helps scientists better understand local population sizes and biodiversity trends. 

Taking place Sunday, September 21 to Sunday, September 28, 2025, the Great Canadian BioBlitz encourages people of all ages to explore Peterborough’s parks and natural spaces and contribute to citizen science.  

“This is a wonderful opportunity for people to connect with the outdoors and explore the natural beauty of our city,” said City Councillors Joy Lachica and Kevin Duguay, council appointees to the Peterborough Environmental Advisory Committee, in a joint statement. “Whether you’re spotting birds, identifying trees, or just enjoying the fall colours, nature is something we all benefit from in Peterborough.” 

Residents are encouraged to visit a City park to participate in self-guided bio-blitzes using the iNaturalist app. A full list of the City’s parks can be found at peterborough.ca/parks. 

The Peterborough Field Naturalists are leading three guided walks in Peterborough-area parks to help residents learn more about the species living in the region.  

• A tree Identification Forest Walk takes place Tuesday, September 23, from 6:30 p.m.to 8 p.m. at Ecology Park, 1899 Ashburnham Dr. Meet at the shelter in the middle of the park by 6:30 p.m. 

• Two Mushroom Identification Walks are taking place on Sunday, September 21 and Sunday, September 28, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park, 846 Highway 7. Register for the walks at peterboroughnature.org/events.   

These free family-friendly walks are open to all levels of nature enthusiasts.  

To learn how to use iNaturalist, visit the Peterborough Public Library Learning Portal. Nature sightings can be uploaded directly to the Great Canadian BioBlitz project page in the iNaturalist app using the following link: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/the-cwf-great-canadian-bioblitz-le-grand-bioblitz-canadien-de-la-fcf