Riches of Diversity: A Reflection on the Bioblitz at Cypress Hills

October 13, 2025

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• Biodiversity
• Cypress Hills
• Events
• WLA Archive

A bioblitz, like the one organized by AWA in June, provides a snapshot of the species in an area.

Text by Ruiping Luo and photos by Cameron Hunter. Both are AWA Conservation Specialists.

Read the PDF version here.

 

Clinging to the side of the hill, I hesitated, trying to judge my next step. The ground beneath me was dry and crumbling; shifting my foot brought dirt and loose stones cascading below. With one hand braced against the slope, I let myself slide a little further down the valley. Up ahead, a clump of pussytoes, white flowers swaying in the wind, enticed me forward.

Around me, other biologists collected their own observations. White nets, like flags marking the descending slopes, revealed the location of entomologists. These were swung abruptly, followed by either the triumphant extraction of a prize or a dejected frown and sometimes a short chase. Others knelt to dig through the soil, examine the flurry of insect activity in a dung patty, or trace a line of ants through the grass.

Elsewhere, leaves, branches and flowers were compared, a few carefully collected and pressed. Stems were parted to reveal frogs, snakes, and toads. We walked through forests and past wetlands, phones and cameras raised to record calls and take photos, guidebooks consulted, and spirited debates breaking out over what we had seen. By the lake, we watched the soaring of terns and gulls, geese and ducks swimming in the water. Next to a clear stream, rocks were turned over, trays dipped into the water and emerging filled with small fish, larvae, crustaceans, aquatic invertebrates, and the occasional tadpole. And when it grew dark, bright mercury lights and white sheets would go up, and soon after, would be swarming with moths and other nocturnal insects. High nets were erected to catch bats for study.

All of these observations would be recorded and uploaded to iNaturalist, an online platform that collects and shares observations of living organisms. Once added, the community can help to identify or verify species, adding to the publicly available information on biodiversity. A bioblitz, like the one organized by AWA in June, provides a snapshot of the species in an area.

Emerging from the prairies, Cypress Hills — the focus of this year’s bioblitz — looms over the nearby lands, an island of forest in an otherwise grass-dominated landscape. These hills escaped glaciation during the last ice age, serving as a refuge for species to escape the frozen world. As a result, Cypress Hills has a unique ecology, distinct from both the surrounding landscape and the more distant Rocky Mountains and foothills. These hills shelter species that have not been found anywhere else in Canada, and in recognition of the area’s importance, Cypress Hills is protected as an Interprovincial Park. Yet, despite its acknowledged importance, the Alberta portion had never hosted a bioblitz there.

Planning for the bioblitz started months in advance. Along with AWA, representatives from Alberta Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy (AARC), Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), Alberta Community Bat Program (ACBP), Alberta Invasive Species Council, Alberta Lepidopterists’ Guild (ALG), Alberta Mycological Society, Alberta Native Bee Council (ANBC), Alberta Native Plant Council (ANPC), Alberta Parks, Nature Alberta, Nose Creek Preservation Society (NCPS), Royal Alberta Museum (RAM), Society of Grasslands Naturalists, University of Alberta, University of Lethbridge, University of Saskatchewan, Wilder Institute, several independent consulting organizations and many others were involved in making this event possible.

Our bioblitz was nearly three days of constant activity. Different species are active at different times. This meant, if we wanted to record all these species, we needed to be active too. Getting up early was great for birdsong and catching elusive mammals like American marten, but for moths and bats and nighthawks, we needed to be awake late. With the support of all the participants, we worked to cover as much of the area and as many different guilds as possible.

Still, between the busyness of finding and collecting species, we made time for other activities, encouraging everyone to connect, learn and socialize. In the evenings, we gathered at Aspen Ridge to hear from a few of the experts. Cam Goater and Kevin Floate presented on the ecology of Cypress Hills, showcasing the work done and features that made the area unusual. Dale Leckie spoke about the geologic history of the area, and the impact of rivers, erosion and glaciation. We heard from Kallum McDonald on invasive species and their management, and from Ilan Domnich on the role and life cycle of native bees. And around a blazing campfire, introductions were made, conversations started, and marshmallows roasted.

On the final day of the bioblitz, while some experts continued to collect data, AWA shifted focus to setting up educational booths, and leading or organizing walks for visitors. Other participants soon joined us, with displays ranging from bats and bees to zombie ants (ants parasitized by a fungus), native plants and geology, and activities that included a netting demonstration (led by ANBC) and pond dipping (led by AARC). We connected with dozens of visitors, including several children and a few who travelled to Cypress Hills specifically for this event. Everyone was invited to discover and appreciate the exceptional ecosystems.

In all, we welcomed nearly 70 biologists and species experts. During those three days, thousands of observations were collected, and hundreds of species were identified, adding invaluable knowledge to our understanding of the local biology.

Of course, our work didn’t end with those days at Cypress Hills. Photos and audio recordings needed to be clipped and uploaded. Samples collected in those three days needed to be processed. Some specimens would need a microscope before they could be identified, and others needed to be compared with references. Finally, a report would bring all of these observations together, summarizing the impressive richness of plants, animals, and fungi.

It would, we hoped, not only show the biodiversity contained in Cypress Hills, but also bring attention to the incredible richness of these ecosystems, and the continued need for their protection.

Looking out over the green hills and blue waters of Spruce Coulee, I reflected on the splendour of Cypress Hills. Along the shore, northern leopard frogs — one of several at-risk species found in the park — hid in the reeds, and dragonflies clung, wings drying, to the stalks. Ants and beetles scurried along the path, disappearing and reappearing from behind blades of grass. That morning, it had been cold and windy, the grey clouds threatening rain, but the skies had cleared, and sunlight lit up the ridge. Cypress Hills truly is a place of immense biodiversity and remarkable landscapes, well worth visiting and protecting.