When I first heard that the Macaulay sophomores were going to do the Bio Blitz, my first question was what exactly is a Bio Blitz? As I began to understand what we were doing, I thought the 24-hour canvassing of Central Park would be a unique, once in a lifetime experience. To the humor of some of my friends, I began to look forward to the Bio Blitz.

When I arrived at the Bio Blitz, I was assigned to the plant group. The first thing our group did was to go examine a specific tree. One of the group leaders discussed how to differentiate between trees by examining the bark, leaves, and size of the tree. We then learned how to use a press to preserve a piece of the tree for further studying. The pressed piece of tree could be submitted to an archive, where other botanists can examine and confirm that the sample is indeed that specific specie. The press reminded me of a fond memory of when my grandmother used to show me how to make pressed flowers with heavy books, so the Bio Blitz was off to a great start!

The plant group proceeded to take a long walk through Central Park. Finally we arrived at our destination, the Shakespeare Garden, which is comprised of the flowers that Shakespeare referenced in his literature. The garden was beautiful and brimming with flowers. We observed cardinals, roses, fennel, rosemary, pansies, and hibiscus flowers. I love reading Shakespeare, so seeing the flowers that he discussed in his plays all in one place was exciting. The connection between nature and literature is amazing and affects the way Shakespeare’s famous lines regarding flowers are understood. It is impossible to understand the full extent of what Shakespeare meant when he used flower references, if one does not know what the flower he is referring to look like. The use of biological discovery to appreciate literature and the beauty of the plants themselves was a fun journey.

The Bio Blitz experience helped me feel more connected to the natural environment. It gave me the tools to continue learning about all of the nature around me. I enjoyed using technology, such as the iNaturalist app, to further my scientific knowledge. Now, if I am outside and see a species I am curious about I can use the app to locate the species easily! With the advent of the Internet and social media websites, it is extremely easy to upload a picture of an unknown plant and have someone from around the world identify the plant for you. Another route is to use online archival databases to look up thousands of species at the touch of a button. Technology continues to help make knowledge accessible to the masses.

The Bio Blitz experience gave me a better appreciation for the wealth of plant types in New York City’s Central Park. Bio Blitz confirmed New York City’s incredible diversity, both in people and plants. Additionally, a picture of me wound up in a NY Daily News article, which was very exciting! The Bio Blitz was a great learning experience both in and of itself and for all my future outdoor discoveries.