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In the past weeks, staff members and students at UU and HU ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Applied Science and other interested individuals entered Utrecht Science Park in order to chart as many plants, animals and fungi as possible. They participated in the Bioblitz 2025, which took place from 22 May up to and including 21 June.

Armed with their smartphones, two hundred and sixty participants headed out to spot as many species as possible. And they were successful: a total of 4800 observations were made and 915 different plant and animal species were catalogued, including ten icon species. These icon species provide an indication of how the biodiversity in the Science Park is doing. For comparison, there were only nine last year. The scarce chaser was observed for the first time this year. Its presence indicates that the area is becoming appealing to other water insects too. Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ has the goal to see twenty of these icon species return to Utrecht Science Park by 2035.

What stands out is that this year, 40 percent more insects were registered than last year.

View the results

Since 2022, various measures are being taken to enhance the biodiversity in the Science Park. One of these is that the grass, a total of 34 hectares, is mowed less often and in phases. Ecological connections to surrounding nature were realised as well, such as between the Oostbroek Estate and Fort bij Rijnauwen.

With the annual Bioblitz, we collect data on the species appearing in the area. This information helps us to assess whether or not the measures being taken are effective. At the same time, the Bioblitz gives participants the opportunity to get to know the nature in the Science Park up close.