• Granite mountains on islands along coast

    Acadia

    National Park Maine

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  • Park Loop Road opening

    May 17, 2013: The entire Park Loop Road and all other paved roads in the park open today. All dirt roads in the park, including the Seal Cove Road, will open on June 3.

  • Trail closures

    April 22, 2013: The Precipice, Orange and Black, Valley Cove, and Jordan Cliffs Trails are closed until further notice because of nesting peregrine falcons. All other trails in the park are open, whether accessible from the park or from state roads.

  • Hulls Cove Visitor Center

    May 17, 2013: The visitor center will open on May 19 and will be open 9-5 every day. All park passes are available there. There is an accessible entrance at the back of the building for those who have trouble climbing stairs.

BioBlitzes at Acadia

Sorting insects at Acadia BioBlitz

Searching for small insects at the 2011 Acadia BioBlitz

NPS

Since 2003, the National Park Service has hosted a series of field events to help document the biodiversity of Acadia National Park. Over the course of 24 hours during each BioBlitz event, biologists and naturalists conduct a rapid assessment of a specific group of invertebrates. While BioBlitzes cannot provide a complete inventory, they can document species occurrence, provide estimates of species richness, and identify rare and unique species.

The goals of Acadia National Park's BioBlitz program are to:

  1. build upon a legacy of past natural history studies;
  2. develop new science partnerships with science institutions and organizations;
  3. increase awareness and excitement about the park's biodiversity, and;
  4. establish new baseline information about little-known plants and animals.

2013 Acadia National Park BioBlitz (Beetles)

Registration is now available for the 11th annual BioBlitz at Acadia National Park on July 12-15, 2013. This year, we will be targeting beetles. The event is open to professional entomologists, amateur naturalists, and other interested persons. Registration for the BioBlitz ends on June 28, 2013.

As in the past, the event will be based at the park's Schoodic Education and Research Center. This year, we will be collecting beetles from diverse habitats in Acadia on Mount Desert Island and the Schoodic Peninsula. The lead taxonomist for the event will be Dr. Don Chandler from the University of New Hampshire.

The event will begin with dinner on Friday evening followed by a workshop on collecting and identifying beetles. The official BioBlitz will commence Saturday morning and continue for 24 hours. On Saturday, we will head over to the Mount Desert Island section of Acadia National Park to collect. On Sunday, we will be collecting in the Schoodic section of the park. The remainder of Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, we will be sorting, pinning, and identifying collected specimens.

As in past years, lodging at The Schoodic Education & Research Center (SERC) is provided at no charge by the National Park Service and the SERC Institute. Space is limited and available on a first-registered, first-served basis. Please note that most accommodations are in 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartment style housing. A hostel style bunkhouse is also available with bunk-beds (2 bunk sets to a room). Limited camping is available on-site.

We've been able keep your costs to participate in the blitz the same as last year - a $35 registration fee and meals (there are a couple of different meal plans available and are described when you register online).

To participate, you must pre-register. Please use this link to sign up: http://www.uevent.com/registration?code=PEA57DEGQM

If you have questions, please contact David Manski at (207) 288-8720 or send him an email at the following link: e-mail us

Results from Past BioBlitzes
Visit the pages below for results and images (where available) from past BioBlitzes.

Free Workshops
For individuals and families interested in a shorter and more general introduction to the BioBlitz, the park generally holds public, hands-on Resource Acadia workshops in association with the BioBlitzes.

 
Three women look at insects in a pan of water.
Learning about true bugs from the experts at the 2008 Resource Acadia session
NPS/Karen Lanier

Did You Know?

A park ranger points out features of a tree to visitors during a ranger program.

From late May to early October, park rangers at Acadia National Park offer a variety of programs to suit every interest and activity level. Programs include walks, talks, hikes, narrated boat cruises, bike rides, and more. Check out the Beaver Log for a schedule of programs. More...