Plants and Pollinators were highlighted in one event of the weeklong citizen science series.
Members of the Tantramar community met at Quarry Park’s pollinator garden on Sept. 22 for the Plants & Pollinators Bioblitz. The event sought to further count the pollinators found across Quarry Park in accordance with Tantramar’s pollinator conservation policies. Such as the 2025 Pollinator and Mayor’s Monarch pledges which prioritizes local environmental education in its commitment to “support collaboration and establish and maintain healthy pollinator habitats.”
The event was a part of the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s 2026 Great Canadian Bioblitz, which invites Canadians from coast to coast to “help create a nationwide snapshot of the incredible biodiversity in our country.” This is done through Bioblitzes: community events aimed at identifying and recording flora and fauna within a delineated area and specified time, primarily recorded within the online platform, iNaturalist. Pollinator-attracting flora were first planted this past summer by NatureNB, EOS Eco-Energy, and the Municipality of Tantramar under the joint Pollinator Garden venture.
The event was hosted by Friends of iNaturalist at Mt.A and supported by members of NatureNB, EOS Eco-Energy, and Mt.A Austen lab. Organizers and supporters sought to educate participants on local pollinators and record the species present. NatureNB’s pollinator garden steward, Jada Ripley, also a Mt.A biology masters student in the Austen lab, helped organize the Bioblitz. Ripley gave out “who’s that bug” zines to assist participants in bee, fly, and wasp differentiation. The Austen lab and NatureNB further assisted the adults and children participating in using pollinator nets and tubes to momentarily catch the insects for viewing, explaining their physiology to participants and recording the insects in iNaturalist before they were safely released.
iNaturalist and Bioblitzes are forms of community science, seeking public participation in scientific research and environmental monitoring. In an interview with The Argosy, NatureNB program director Adam Cheeseman commented on iNaturalist as producing data used “to help make decisions about some of [NatureNB] projects.” Cheeseman specified applications in site scoping for documenting endangered monarch butterfly migration. Additionally, Cheeseman underlined iNaturalist as an “engagement tool” for people “to learn about the diversity of species we have here in New Brunswick.” He noted the app’s accessibility to explore your own backyard.
In an interview with The Argosy, Friends of iNaturalist at Mt.A member, Jonah Scrymgeour, emphasized the importance of interaction with Sackville’s healthy rural ecosystem, calling it “important for your soul.” Scrymgeour advised people spending time in nature to “sit and wait” and truly witness the community’s wildlife.
Tantramar’s wide array of rural wildlife beyond its pollinators was highlighted during the week of Bioblitzes. Further collaboration with the Mt.A Riley Baxter-Gilbert herpetology lab, the Mt.A department of physics, and the Mt.A Birders Club produced five evenings of events targeted at iNaturalist data collection and environmental education. Attendees got detailed field studies across the range from pollinators, to amphibians, to birds and beyond.
In addition to its designation as a Bee City, Sackville became the first and only accredited Wetland City in North America under the United Nations Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 2022. The designation represents Tantramar’s strong commitment to safeguard its natural ecosystems, which fosters the presence of unique wildlife.
NatureNB, the Atlantic Wildlife Institute, and EOS Eco-Energy will be holding another Bioblitz on Oct. 5 from 3-5:30 p.m. at the Atlantic Wildlife Institute, located at 220 Cookville Rd.