Arts and Sciences | CommunityApril 30, 2026

Student Led Bioblitz Aims To Empower Citizen Scientists

Written By: Rachel Putman

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith will host a weeklong BioBlitz from May 2 to 9, inviting students, faculty and the community to help document local plants and animals while building deeper connections with the region’s green spaces.

The effort will include a series of public activations throughout the week:

• May 4 at Ben Geren Park from 9 a.m. to noon,
• May 6 at Creekmore Park from 9 a.m. to noon,
• May 8 at the UAFS Campus Green from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
• May 9 at the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

All events are free and open to the public, with faculty and student scientists on hand to help families and researchers alike join the search for local wildlife. 

The May 8 UAFS evening blitz will feature a giant light tent designed to attract insects for easier categorization and identification. The May 9 event at Janet Huckabee extend throughout the day with options to search on the trails and in the water.

Led by Willow McFerran, a senior biology major, the project uses the iNaturalist app to turn everyday observations into community science. Participants can photograph and log plants, insects and animals from home, work or anywhere they enjoy nature, while pop-up activities will bring UAFS student and faculty scientists into the community.

In addition to serving as a community-building tool, the BioBlitz also acts as a way to educate residents about local biodiversity, support conservation and contribute useful data on native, invasive and potentially harmful species through iNaturalist.

The app allows users to upload photos and audio from nature observations, and the data can contribute to scientific research.

The project is funded in part by a Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship grant from the Arkansas Division of Higher Education. 

Willow's SURF-funded research examines whether a nature-centered event can change how connected people feel to both the natural world and one another. Her study, “Impact of a bioblitz on an individual’s perception of community and nature,” is built around the idea that shared experiences in natural spaces can strengthen both community ties and environmental awareness. The project comes as national studies continue to examine how technology has pushed individuals away from so-called third spaces, places outside home and work where communities gather in person. 

Willow was one of five UAFS students to earn SURF grants this year.