Welcome to the 2024 City Nature Challenge in San Diego County!
Wherever you are in the county, you are invited to be a naturalist and community scientist from April 26-29 during the 2024 City Nature Challenge!
For four days, we will all get outdoors to find and document nature in our county using iNaturalist. Then, from April 30-May 5, we will have one week to identify all of those documented observations (and hopefully identify them well enough to reach Research Grade!). Results will be announced May 6, 2024.
Learn more: About City Nature Challenge.
About iNaturalist
For this four-day bioblitz, we are using iNaturalist as a platform for documenting and collecting observations. iNaturalist helps you identify organisms (plants, animals, fungi, etc.) around you while generating data for science and conservation.
Using iNaturalist connects you to a community of millions scientists and naturalists who can help you learn more about nature! And by recording and sharing your observations, you’ll create research-quality data for scientists working to better understand and protect nature. So if you like recording your findings from the outdoors, or are curious to learn about nature wherever you go, join us for the City Nature Challenge!
Learn more about iNaturalist at Getting Started and here are Video Tutorials.
What we are (and aren't) documenting
For the City Nature Challenge, we're documenting wild species, and avoid captive or cultivated species. Any plant, animal, or other organism that requires human feeding or watering, or was bred or planted by a person, should be avoided for the purposes of this event. For example, plants in peoples' gardens, around public buildings, in county- or city-planted landscaping, as well as pets or animals at the zoo, aquarium, or other wildlife care facilities should not be included in observations.
On the other hand, if you see insects, reptiles, birds, or mammals in someone's garden (which are not pets!), then these would make great observations! Our county's beaches, wetlands, deserts, and all natural preserve areas make great observation places!
Also, once you make an observation, even if you don't know exactly what type of plant, for example, you've seen, if you at least choose 'plant' as the ID for your observation, this will allow plant experts who will be helping with the ID process to quickly find your observation. And this will more likely make that observation count as a Research Grade observation, which is our goal!
Events in San Diego County
During the City Nature Challenge observation days, from April 26-29, we encourage you to go out and explore nature on your own or with others. If you'd like to find an organized event near you, we will be posting county-wide events during those dates where you are invited to join other naturalists!
Please check back here periodically for updates in the coming weeks!
