The Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve is located South East of Melbourne in Victoria. Each year the Biosphere runs a citizen science project called Lifesearch and this year it runs from Saturday 15 October to Sunday 23 October. There are prizes for schools and individuals or groups that record the most sightings of animals and plants in the Biosphere during Lifesearch week.
Lifesearch is an annual Western Port Biosphere event and is open to anyone who lives or works in the Biosphere Reserve. All Lifesearch participants, whether school children, community groups, families or individuals, will be making a valuable contribution to our understanding of life in the Western Port Biosphere, as well as to the ALA.
Observations can be made at reserves and local parks, beaches, in school grounds and in your own backyard. Lifesearch data is collected as part of a citizen science project and uploaded to the ALA. It’s a chance to add to our knowledge of the biodiversity around us, and have fun in the great outdoors at the same time.
Phillip Island Nature Parks have donated a 4 Parks Pass for a family which includes the new Antarctic Journey at the Nobbies Centre, and Andrew Isles Natural History Books have donated a selection of books.
Lifesearch is an event inspired by thirteen-year-old Harewood Lyall, who lived at Harewood Homestead, Tooradin in the early 1900s. In 1912, he carefully noted down his bird-watching observations in a notebook, which inspired the first Western Port Biosphere Birdsearch event, which was held in 2012. Schools participated in the program and competed for the Biosphere Birdsearch Shield, awarded for the most observations of birds during the Lifesearch week. The Shield has been awarded each year since 2012. Perseverance Primary School currently holds the Shield.
Lifesearch is supported by the ALA. Registration and other information about Lifesearch 2016 is available at www.biosphere.org.au/get-involved/lifesearch.