Botanical gardens are oases of biodiversity and provide valuable habitats and food for numerous animals, fungi and lichens. But which wild species can actually be found here? While the plant collections are usually well documented, the “wild” biodiversity - such as insects, birds or amphibians – often remains unknown. Yet this knowledge is crucial for understanding the importance of botanical gardens as habitats.
As part of the Week of Botanical Gardens 2025, we invite you, together with several other gardens, to take part in a joint BioBlitz. A week in which we want to explore the hidden diversity of our gardens together. With the free iNaturalist app, you can document your own wildlife sightings and contribute to the project. Every observation counts! The more observations are collected, the clearer the picture of biodiversity in our gardens becomes.
Event details
| When? | 14 June – 22 June 2025 |
| Who? | Everyone who enjoys nature and photography. No prior knowledge is required! |
| How? | Observations can be uploaded directly via the free iNaturalist app or later via the website on the computer. |
How to Participate
- Download the free iNaturalist app and create an account
- Join the project: BioBlitz Botanische Gärten – Münster
- Explore the garden and take photos of animals, fungi, lichens, mosses, and plants
- Upload your observations via the app or website
- IMPORTANT NOTE: Please stay on the paths. To preserve the sensitive habitats, it is not permitted to enter the meadows and other green areas.
Take Part & Win
Whether a rare finding or a stunning photo, outstanding observations during the BioBlitz will be recognised in various categories:
- Who made the most observations?
- Who contributed the best photo?
- Which garden has the most varied observations?
A jury from the Association of Botanical Gardens will honour the most beautiful observations and the most active participants. The winning entries are examples of how important each individual observation is for understanding biological diversity.
What happens to the results?
All observations collected during the BioBlitz are documented in the respective iNaturalist projects of the participating gardens and made publicly accessible. A superordinate project compiles all the data to provide an overview of findings from all participating botanical gardens. Why is this important?
The openly accessible data are valuable for researchers, helping to close knowledge gaps about biodiversity in urban areas. The data also offers insight into the occurrence and ecological role of species within botanical gardens. In the coming year, the results of the BioBlitz will be showcased in a public exhibition.
More Information
The BioBlitz is also featured on the Citizen-Science-platform mit:forschen! - an initiative supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research that supports projects where citizens and scientists collaborate.
Any more questions? Check out the FAQs or visit the Association of Botanic Gardens website for more.
Current information about the BioBlitz will be published on Instagram.
If this event has sparked your interest, we invite you to explore our ongoing iNaturalist project, where the biodiversity of the garden is continuously documented beyond the scope of the BioBlitz.
