The Big Bend Bioblitz is a community science effort to document the biodiversity of West Texas’ protected public lands before border construction breaks ground.
Racing to document West Texas species before border construction breaks ground.
The 2026 Big Bend Border Bioblitz is an ongoing effort that started in July 2026 and is part of the larger annual Border BioBlitz effort.
What is the Big Bend Borderlands BioBlitz?
A community science survey of the Big Bend region
Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, and the protected areas of Maderas del Carmen, Ocampo and Cañon Santa Elena in Mexico make up the largest expanse of protected desert in North America. It’s one of the most biodiverse — and least documented — landscapes on the continent, supporting thousands of species, including dozens found nowhere else on Earth.
The Big Bend Borderlands Bioblitz is a community science effort to document the species of this region before border infrastructure construction begins across the landscape. Anyone with a smartphone can contribute observations to a shared scientific record for this remarkable place.
