A 24-HOUR bioblitz festival with a particular focus on rock pools is being held on the Cornish coast next month.

The event at Porthpean, near St Austell, will include a night-time rock pool session, talks, workshops, species identification training, citizen science activities, wellbeing sessions, nature walks and paddleboarding.

The community bioblitz festival, organised by the Rock Pool Project in conjunction with the Porthpean Outdoor activity centre, will run from Friday, September 19, through to the next day and, as well as recording species numbers, aims to inspire community action for nature and climate.

The organisers promise “an immersive experience celebrating the incredible wildlife of Cornwall’s coast while shining a spotlight on climate change”.

The theme is “Our Coast, Our Climate, Our Future” and there will be a focus on climate-sensitive species, with those taking part helping to gather biodiversity data to support scientific research, conservation efforts and climate resilience planning.

A bioblitz sees people working together to find and identify as many species of plants, animals, fungi and other organisms as possible

The festival is part of the Big Rock Pool Challenge, a nationwide citizen science initiative run in partnership with the Marine Biological Association.

The event is free to attend, thanks to backing from the Cornwall Community Foundation, the ScottishPower Foundation, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Duke of Cornwall’s Marine Environment Fund. However, some activities and camping options may incur charges.

Loretta Kwok, South West lead of the Big Rock Pool Challenge, said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to connect with nature, learn new skills and contribute to real scientific research.

“The bioblitz is more than just counting species – it’s about building climate awareness and empowering communities to protect our stunning coastal environment for the future.”

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.therockpoolproject.co.uk/community-bioblitz-festival