Combining Science And Fantasy at the D&D Bioblitz
This Blog Post was Written by EcoLogik Social Media Intern and Youth Advisor: Mayumi L
Bringing the Magic of EcoLogik to Balboa Park
Long ago, in May of 2023, Apprentices Lucinda, Calliope, and I began a journey that would change the world (or at least some of San Diego). Under the mentorship of Earyn McGhee from the Los Angeles Zoo, Gabriel Santos from Cosplay for Science, and EcoLogik Executive Director Sam Wynns, we toiled for many moons to craft the story of the Dungeons & Dragons BioBlitz.
A BioBlitz is a special type of quest where naturalists strive to catalog as much biodiversity as they can in a set amount of time. BioBlitzs are crucial for environmental scientist’s knowledge about what flora and fauna live in an area since they cannot catalog every species on their lonesome. We wanted to put on a BioBlitz, but in the spirit of Comic-Con it couldn’t be just any old BioBlitz. No, it needed to be the most fantastical, the most magical, the most nerdy BioBlitz to ever exist on this Earth! And thus, we decided it must be Dungeons & Dragons themed.
Every day was a rewarding challenge as we slayed the dragon of writer’s block, practiced the sorcery of digital design, and coordinated with our growing guild.
Finally, on July 26th, our lengthy quest reached its pinnacle. We traveled to Balboa Park with our mighty guild of volunteers from the EcoLogik Institute, Cosplay for Science, IF/THEN, and Forever Balboa Park. Together, we trained over 300 new adventurers in the way of the nerdy naturalist. Our 4-hour BioBlitz quest brought the new adventurers into the beautiful world of community science as they logged San Diego biodiversity on iNaturalist.
Our event had two primary journey’s for our bold and inquisitive adventurers: the Adventuring Academy at Zoro Garden, and side quests around the San Diego Natural History Museum.
Photo credit: Arash Afshar
The Zoro Garden Adventuring Academy Convenes
Our main quest focused on community science and engaging participants in a conversation about “the blight” - the awful impacts humans are having on the environment. After equipping ourselves in DIY cosplay at Cosplay for Science’s armory, participants chose to follow the path of the Ranger, the Druid, or the Paladin. Each class had its own focus, such as the “Protection of Native Plants for Druids” Class.
Their first stop was with Rowena Serpentine (played by Sam) where they learned the spell “iNaturalist” and were guided in how to download it onto their magic tablets. After learning about the importance of community science, they ventured deeper into the garden.
Along their path, they were met with more adventurers who taught them about the blight of urbanization. Using the stark contrast between the gorgeous nature at Balboa with the barren asphalt, the adventurers illustrated how urbanization leaves scars upon our planet.
After completing these two stops, participants went to the graduation station where they recited what they learned to earn a diploma! On the back of the diploma was a map of the side quests; extra challenges that many participants chose to partake in.
Photo credit: Arash Afshar
Side Quest To Bring Science to the People
We had a variety of side quests spread around the San Diego Natural History Museum that invited more Balboa park visitors to become adventurers and champions for nature.
One side quest, Creature Communication, was held near the Morton Fig. Through a variety of spell crafting materials, participants allowed nature to speak through them as they created art. Fellow nerdy naturalists engaged them in a conversation on how to encourage conservation in their everyday lives. A highlight for me was a visit from the Queen of the Druids (played by astrophysicist Sydney Hamilton) herself!
Further along the path, participants engaged in a Basilisk Hunt. At this station, a wandering merchant (played by our own Brooke Wilder) had lost her pet basilisk! Participants helped the merchant by tracking the basilisk with radio telemetry technology. I loved seeing how excited some of the participants were to combine technology,fantasy, and science!
Participants arrived just in time at the Revealing Charm (Aparecium) side quest! Our dear princess (skillfully played by our own Aamir Asadi) had fallen ill! Learning about Indigenous uses and knowledge of medicinal plants, participants saved our princess by bringing her the necessary medicinal plant to heal her illness. At the end, the princess rewarded them with a healing tea to take home. We had an amazing group of volunteers at this station, including one from Forever Balboa Park who sewed her own cosplay!
Our final side quest was an Herbivicus Charm. At this station, participants learned about the importance of native plants and used a variety of charms to design their own ideal native garden to combat the blight!
Photo credit: Arash Afshar
The Magic of Science for Me
This event was such a rewarding experience for me. I am a HUGE nerd for both fantasy and science, so it was extra special bringing the two together and meeting so many other people with similar interests. We had many participants who were completely into it - some even came in their own cosplay! I loved watching them journey through the quest.
Our team of volunteers was where the true magic was. Despite the heat, they were completely into the event and created an immersive environment for the San Diego community. The cosplays were amazing and it was a treat to see everyone’s acting skills! For me, it was super special to see adults I admire being unashamed nerds - it reminded me that scientists are full people too and we can bring our varying interests together. I bonded so much with the IF/THEN Ambassadors, Cosplay for Science members, and EcoLogik’s mentor team during this event.
I’m so grateful to be part of the EcoLogik Institute and get to practice leading amazing events like these in a safe and supportive environment. I can’t wait to see what we do next!
Until next time my fearless adventurers!
Photo credit: Arash Afshar
About the Author: Hi! I’m Mayumi L. I was a participant in Virtual EcoLogik in 2020 and fell in love with the program. I came back as a CESAP Apprentice in 2021 and now I’m an intern working on Science Communication projects like our Community Workshops and social media!
