Sisters High students take part in ‘bioblitz,’ count flora and fauna at proposed Highway 20 wildlife crossing sites

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State University-Cascades, and Sisters High School are teaming up this month to conduct a “bioblitz” at four proposed wildlife crossing structure locations along US Highway 20.

A bioblitz is a communal effort to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible, as a way to gauge and understand the biodiversity of an area.

From April 14-27, the 16 participating high school students are collecting information on the presence of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, insects, plants and fungi in the forests and meadows near Black Butte, Central Oregon LandWatch said in a news release Monday that continues below:

This biologically rich area can also be a dangerous one for wildlife. The section of Highway 20 between Suttle Lake and Bend sees one of the highest densities of wildlife-vehicle collisions in the state, with 200 to 650 mule deer and elk killed yearly by vehicle strikes.

A desire to address this risky situation for both wildlife and people led to the formation of the Bend to Suttle Lake Wildlife Passage Initiative.

The group of state and federal agencies, nonprofits, landowners, and institutions brings together the necessary expertise and regulatory authority. Central Oregon LandWatch manages the B2S coalition, in partnership with the Oregon Wildlife Foundation, the coalition's fiscal sponsor.

Currently in Phase II of this multi-year, multi-phase project, coalition members are actively working on the engineering and design for the top four priority crossing locations, as well as engaging local communities within the Bend to Suttle Lake corridor.

“I love seeing the students using field sampling methods and really diving into the process,” said Rima Givot, a veteran science teacher at Sisters High School, known for using hands-on learning techniques and mentoring students in community science projects.

As ODFW and OSU-Cascades biologists are focused on collecting pre-construction data to inform the design of the wildlife crossing structures, knowing what species are present in the vicinity of these crossing structures and how they’re using the area are key pieces of the puzzle.

“The bioblitz is a great opportunity to engage with the community while also allowing us to teach students about the native wildlife species in our area that would benefit from improved habitat connectivity provided by crossing structures,” said Jessica Wilkes, Wildlife Habitat Biologist for ODFW, adding, “I am excited to see what the students come up with in their designs for the crossings, especially habitat elements that could be included.”

Crossing construction is expected to start between 2027 and 2030.