Milwaukee Public Museum’s 10th annual BioBlitz will bring together scientists and community members for a celebration of biodiversity at the Aldo Leopold Foundation in Baraboo, June 27-28.
About 100 species specialists and nature enthusiasts participate in BioBlitz, where they’ll have just 24 hours to search the 4,000-acre property for as many species of plants and animals as possible. During the final five hours of the ecological survey, the public can join the experts in the field as they uncover, collect, identify, and count the species. Attendees will also take part in nature-themed activities from partner organizations at base camp.
“Each year, MPM selects a different natural area in Wisconsin as the site of our BioBlitz so that we can connect with new audiences and better understand the entire ecology of the state,” says organizer Julia Colby. “A BioBlitz is a great way to get a snapshot of the wide array of wildlife in a particular area and a wonderful opportunity to engage residents in community science who may not be aware of the amazing biodiversity in their own backyard.”
In past years, BioBlitz participants identified approximately 1,000 species. This data is provided to the host site and the public to inform future conservation efforts, scientific research, and public outreach.
Aldo Leopold Foundation Chosen For The Site
Located along the Wisconsin River and home to one of the oldest prairie restorations, the Aldo Leopold Foundation property was the pick for this year’s site because of its history and diverse landscape.
In the 1930s, conservationist, writer, and philosopher Aldo Leopold and his family purchased an 80-acre farm for a weekend retreat, using a former chicken coup as their “cabin.” They began replanting trees and prairie plants on the abandoned agricultural field, inspiring restoration efforts on the land for the next 90 years. The chicken coup, known today as the Leopold Shack, has become a must-see
destination for nature lovers worldwide. It will be open to BioBlitz attendees.
Surrounding the Shack is the Leopold-Pines Conservation Area, which has become a haven for sandhill cranes in the fall and is surrounded by thousands of acres of other prairie and savanna restorations and wetlands.
“We are excited to learn about the biodiversity resulting from both our recent and decades-long land
care, some of which goes back to Aldo Leopold’s time,” says Aldo Leopold Foundation CEO Buddy Huffaker. “Our species monitoring program is limited to birds, bumblebees, monarchs, and plants. We appreciate MPM for mustering the collective knowledge of so many specialists to reveal, even to us,
what goes unseen and unknown across our 4,000 acres. Their discoveries will help us better understand
what care and conditions are needed for different species to thrive, which influences our management
decisions and actions.”
The survey portion of BioBlitz kicks off at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 27, and ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, June
28, when the species total will be announced. The public portion, which is free, will go from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Activity List For Attendees
- Tour the historic Aldo Leopold Shack, the setting of his famous A Sand County Almanac
- Nature journaling workshop with Kathy Devries Designs
- Butterfly walk with the Dane County Butterfly Monitoring Program
- Mycology walk with the Mycological Society of Wisconsin
- Moss walk with UW-Green Bay’s Cofrin Center for Biodiversity
- Bumble Bee Brigade activity station
- International Crane Foundation activity station
- Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation activity station
- UW-Madison Arboretum activity station
- Hiking trails through natural habitats to discover biodiversity on your own
Learn more: https://www.mpm.edu/bioblitz/2025
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