Wintergreen Studios expands BioBlitz to five days

Craig Bakay | May 31, 2017

Perhaps the busiest place in Frontenac County was Wintergreen Studios on Canoe Lake Road as the wilderness retreat played host to Land Art BioBlitz 2017, a five-day series of workshops and species count featuring a variety of activities and visiting instructors.

Workshops featured Matt Ellerbeck, the Salamander Man, professional naturalist Richard Aaron, composer and Carleton University music professor Jesse Stewart, naturalist Bronwyn Harkness and organic vegetable farmer/environmental activist Marie Bencze.

This was Wintergreen’s third BioBlitz, however it was the first to be held over five days. The first two were one-day events.

“This year is very different,” said program director Monica Capovilla. “Instead of being a race to identifying as many organisms as possible in a 24-hour period, the idea is to mirror and honour the Slow Food movement, giving everyone a chance to form a deeper connection with the natural world.

“This is more than just species identification, it’s all about learning what’s out there and creating a better understanding of why biodiversity is so important.”

To that end, there was a steady stream of buses coming in bringing a range of classrooms from public schools in Verona and Kingston.

“For many of these kids, this is a very different space from what they’re used to,” said Capovilla, a teacher herself. “It’s about teaching them a greater respect for insects, animals, trees — and to give them a better understanding for where they fit in with it all.”

She said they hope there will be a “ripple effect” from this event resulting in more people getting interested

‘Travelling BioBlitzer’ Jason Crockwell from Pittsfield, Mass. said he made a special effort to come this year.

“Even though I’ve been living in my Jeep, and I’ve never been out of the U.S. before, I wanted something different and this certainly is it,” he said.

BioBlitz 2017 was free to the public because the support of TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, Capovilla said.

They’re already planning next year’s BioBlitz on a similar theme and it’s tentatively scheduled for the last weekend in May/first weekend in June.

Wintergreen Studios is a year-round, off-grid, art/wilderness/education retreat on a 204-acre property with mixed habitats.

They have a number of events scheduled for the summer with the next one being a medicine walk/salve-making forum with Mary Ann Spencer. See their website for details.