The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), in partnership with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, announced the eighth annual Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz. This event celebrates pollinators and raises awareness and community involvement across the country to mitigate the pollinator crisis.
At a Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz, participants are encouraged to capture photographs of the plants, insects and animals present in parks and submit them using the iNaturalist platform, an app that identifies and records the observations. This helps park agencies better understand, manage and plan for the multitude of different species and habitats in their local parks. To see the projects and communities taking place this year, visit the Parks for Pollinators 2026 iNaturalist page (https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/parks-for-pollinators-2026).
In 2025, more than 100 organizations participated in the project, from zoos to museums and local, county and state parks departments. Events were organized from coast to coast, with 35 states participating, from Oregon to Florida. Thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of over 5,000 participants, 2025’s BioBlitz counted almost 20,000 more observations than the previous year.
Over the last eight years, the Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz has supported local park and recreation agencies in stewarding land for pollinators and getting their communities engaged in the process. Getting out in greenspaces and documenting pollinators can turn park users into park champions, and agencies actively use the BioBlitz to support advocacy for environment-forward maintenance strategies.
Pollinators and other beneficial insects are vital to healthy and resilient parks, greenspaces and communities, because they support the biodiversity that is key to thriving ecosystems. These species help stabilize the environment during environmental challenges like extreme weather, habitat loss and other environmental impacts. Communities nationwide are increasing participation in community science, restoration and other conservation volunteer projects, supporting a growing movement that reflects a larger, broader commitment to protecting pollinators and vibrant communities and greenspaces.
To learn more about Parks for Pollinators, find resources or find a local event, visit https://www.nrpa.org/our-work/Three-Pillars/environmental-resilience/parks4pollinators/ .