iNaturalist Honored with the Heinz Award for the Environment
iNaturalist has been awarded the prestigious 29th Heinz Award for the Environment! This award celebrates innovative solutions to environmental challenges, and iNaturalist’s community science platform has provided just that—mobilizing millions of people to engage with nature and contribute over 200 million records for science. These contributions have helped document species, inform conservation strategies, and enhance our collective understanding of the natural world.
The award formally recognizes iNaturalist co-founder Ken-ichi Ueda and Executive Director Dr. Scott Loarie, but they want to emphasize that this award honors iNaturalist and was made possible by the efforts of the incredible iNaturalist community and staff.
“Ken-ichi and I are humbled to accept this award on behalf of iNaturalist,” said Scott Loarie. “All credit goes to the millions of nature explorers and expert naturalists who’ve shared their expertise, will, and passion on iNaturalist and to our incredible team. We’re so grateful to see iNaturalist honored as an example of the great things we can accomplish when we work together.”
Since its inception in 2008, iNaturalist has played a critical role in driving conservation efforts worldwide. Observations from its global community have been used in more than 5,000 scientific publications, contributing to the discovery of new species, tracking the impact of climate change, and shaping biodiversity policies globally. Since becoming an independent nonprofit in July 2023, the number of verifiable observations has grown by over 50%.
“There are over a million species at risk of extinction this century, and the solution hinges upon two critical factors: an engaged public that cares and a robust data set to drive smart conservation decisions. That’s why our team is passionate about this work,” Loarie states.
Dr. Carrie Seltzer, Head of Engagement, remarks, “The iNaturalist team set out to create a tool that would make exploring nature more accessible for everyone, and today we’re proud to see how this community has become essential to understanding the current state of biodiversity. I like to call us a ‘force for nature’ and this recognition from the Heinz Family Foundation fuels our ambition to continue growing this movement.”
The power of iNaturalist lies in its diverse and generous community. With members ranging from high school students and retirees to scientists and land managers, the platform thrives on participation from people of all walks of life.
“Through iNaturalist, Scott and Ken-ichi are advancing citizen science at a remarkable scale, enabling people from all walks of life, communities and backgrounds to connect with the wonder of nature,” says Teresa Heinz, Chairman of the Heinz Family Foundation. “Through their work, they inspire us to embrace curiosity, to be active participants in discovery and to pay attention to the remarkable diversity of life that is all around us, regardless of where we live. We honor Scott and Ken-ichi for creating a platform that not only welcomes everyone to contribute to our collective knowledge of biodiversity, but one that is also a model for public discourse, camaraderie and respectful engagement. These are qualities my late husband, John Heinz, exemplified in his life and work, and that we celebrate through the Heinz Awards each year.”
Past recipients of the Heinz Award include the founder of environmental journalism site Mongabay, the founder of Outdoor Afro, as well as environmental scientists such as Gretchen Daily and Jane Lubchenco, and innovators such as Steve Wozniak.
Becoming an Even Greater Force for Nature
Looking ahead, iNaturalist will use the $250,000 award to invest in making the platform more engaging and improving data quality. “We're just getting started,” said Loarie. “By 2030, we hope to build a global movement for nature, capable of advocating for, monitoring, and protecting species worldwide. The Heinz Award for the Environment is a huge milestone on this journey that we hope will energize and inspire the iNaturalist community.”
Comments
Wow, many congratulations!
Very well done! May the passion continue ...
Congratulations! Well deserved!
Happy to be a part of it. :-)
Well done! I too am happy to be a part of it.
Well done and well deserved.
Happy, happy. An amazing platform and getting better.
Well done! Congratulations!
Congratulations well deserved. I enjoy being part of this organisation
Congratulations. I am proud to play a small part in this important effort.
Well done! This is a great accomplishment. I glad to be playing a small role in such a crucial endeavor.
Awesome!
Brilliant! Congrats to the whole iNat team!
Excellent news! Congratulations to the founders--it is well deserved. Here's to more awards and milestones!
Fully deserved, congratulations!
Well deserved and the money will surely be well spent.
Congratulations and thank you for creating this amazing and useful tool! You deserve this important recognition of your creative, ambitious and high quality work!
This is terrific news, big congratulations, and very well deserved.
It also helps us in promoting the inat tool.
Really splendid news for iNaturalist and well deserved recognition of those who created this extraordinary resource and for the extraordinary expertise of the botanists and other natural scientists and the “AI” team behind so much of what iNat does and will do in the future.
Amazing - and well deserved!
Hoʻomaikaʻi ʻana nō ka hana kama haʻo! Congratulations!
Awesome! Congrats
This is great news and a well-deserved award. At the recent iNaturalist webinar, Scott and Carrie did a wonderful job explaining the relevance and importance of iNaturalist as well as other salient features mentioned by Teresa Heinz for this award. Thank you Scott, Carrie and all the other staff of iNaturalist for all the work you do and thanks to the Heinz Family Foundation for recognizing the value of this project.
¡Enhorabuena por un premio bien merecido!
Parabéns pelo prêmio merecido!
恭喜您獲得當之無愧的獎項！
...ditto!
Congratulations! You all deserve it!
Wonderful! Congratulatios!
Fantastic! Congratulations to everyone on the team and everyone who contributes!
Congrats! I'm very proud to be a part of the iNat community today and deeply appreciative of everything the founders, the staff, and our huge merry band of iNatters has done to get us here.
Felicidades a todos!!!
Super and well-deserved!
Félicitations à toute l'équipe et à tout le monde ! Fière de participer !
Congratulations, iNat community!
Congratulations to the iNat team and community! Well deserved!
Oh, this is fantastic! Congratulations, everyone!
Congrats! For the nature!!! 💚
¡Que alegría para todos los naturalistas! ¡Felicitaciones a los promotores!
I am so grateful to be a part of this fantastic network! The encounter between citizen science, AI and scientists contributes to our knowledge and our awareness of biodiversity on a completely different level! Life without iNat is unimaginable for me! Thanks to all of you & congratulations!!!
Congrats to iNaturalist for the well deserved recognition. Keep it up!
Congratulations iNaturalist!
Congrats and well deserved!!
Wonderful news, and so well deserved! iNaturalist amazes and engages on so many levels. BIG thanks to the team for all you do.
Well deserved! Congratulations to all of you!
Congratulations
Congratulations!!! So proud to be part of this amazing community!
congrats
Congratulations!
Sincerest congratulations! Do not stop your great work.
Outstanding! Congratulations!!
Awesome and well deserved!
Lovely news to open on the front page today! Great job, keep working at it. <3
superb
Congratulations! My heart is extremelly happy with such well deserved award! I hope to help with iNaturalist objectives up to the end of my life. Thanks for all the knowledge I have been getting.
Wow! Good work!!!
Great achievement. Congratulations to all the team.
Wonderful! I'm so pleased to see iNaturalist get this award. Thank you for touching so many human and non-human lives and for showing how a platform that is fun, engaging and educational can also have serious real-world benefit.
This is just incredible! iNaturalist really deserves the award. Congratulations!
I think iNaturalist is a revolution in nature observation! It brings so many people into nature and there is still a huge potential. Imagine how much data and knowledge we will have in about 10 years.
Wonderful and so amazing award! INaturalist remains great institution to me for learning and observing biodiversity! Excellent
Congratulations! Much deserved and empowering you to mobilise even more impact! 👏
Congratulations! Well deserved
The resource, community, website and API are amazing and well featured. No more need to doomscroll spammy corporate social medias and AI headlines when we can spend time here learning, sharing and observing 🙏
To many more years of observations and scientific innovation!
Awesome, iNat deserves it!
Kudos!! Well deserved! Great news!
GOOD JOB iNaturalist.
Congratulations! Proud to be part.
Muchas Felicidades y Adelante !!
Congratulations!!!!
Thank you to everyone for your hard work and dedication! Lets keep the trend going.
Parabéns a todos que fazem parte dessa maravilhosa ferramenta de auxílio a natureza.
Excellent news, huge congratulations to the team!
Well deserved!
Wonderful and fully deserved award for this amazing website: so useful scientifically for taxononmy. Conservation and biogeography and of course communication with colleagues globally. I love iNaturalist!
Excellent news, and I congratulate everyone who takes part in this great mission.
Heinz Family Foundation, a really big thank you for supporting iNaturalist in another truly meaningful community spirited contribution.
Well deserved, so great to hear. Hurrah!
Wonderful, glad to see the recognition and growing body of science coming out of iNaturalist at a seemingly accelerating rate! We'll need more use and awareness for the climate and habitat challenges that are also accelerating, and the iNat site and community is such a huge part of this that I'm glad to participate in.
This is truly well-deserved. iNaturalist has become integral to learning about biodiversity for myself and so many others. Congratulations!
Congrats!!! Thank y’all for all the hard work and dedication!!!
Wonderful!!!!!!! Well deserved....congratulations!
Congratulations!
Congratulations! Glad to be a part of the iNaturalist Community!
Congratulations and so happy for this accomplishment! 👏❤️
You folks really deserve this award, and my thanks go out to the many people who contribute to inaturalist being such an interesting, fun, and increasingly valuable tool for conservation. Well done!
Congratulations!
How wonderful! And well deserved!
Yay!!! Great job!!! Well deserved!!!
Congratulations! This award is so well deserved!
Fantastic news, congratulations to the iNat team and all those that saw the value in merging similar regional platforms with iNat to produce a truly global initiative.
Good work iNaturalist 👍🌿
Obrigado por existires iNaturalist
Enhorabuena. Ese es el camino!. Y aquí estaremos aportando, compartiendo nuestras observaciones para el resto del mundo.
Congratulations, great job team!
Well Done
Many Congratulations!
Your excellent work is being recognised. Congratulations!
Fantastic! Well deserved.
Awesome. Well done. And thanks. Through this platform, and the amazing people on it, I am learning so much more about my local environment. And am able to share what I learn with others
Congratultion to iNat and all members!
Congratulations! How wonderful! :-)
Splendid, fantastic and applicable for citizen science with quality control by scientists. A wonderful and very useful tool for observations of biodiversity worldwide.
Hearty congratulations 🌳🌹👏👏
Congratulations! Amazing!
Well deserved! Congratulations. Nobel prize in 2030 😎.
Congrats!
Congratulations to everyone! We've earned it collectively!
Awesome!
Congratulations!
Congratulations, well earned!
Well deservered! Congrats!
Exciting and well deserved. Well done iNat team!
Blessing and well deserved, we still support it
Amazing news! Congratulations to the entire team.
Wonderful! Well done everyone!
This award is well deserved. iNaturalist keeps getting better and better.
A well deserved award to all who participate, and especially to those with the vision to create this remarkable and important biogeographic tool.
Congratulations!!!
This is the victory of all those who contributed to this platform of Biodiversity and let world know how much mother Earth is countless regarding Flora and Fauna
Many congratulations
Fantastic! Congratulations, and thanks for the work you have done!
I thought they just made beans
सभी टीम को बहुत बहुत बधाई, सभी प्रकृति प्रेमी खोजकर्ता को जोहार।
Congratulations !
Well deserved! Congratulations!
Congratulations to you all. iNat is such an educational, fun, and life-changing tool. I am so grateful it exists--thanks to your collective inspiration, skill, and passion.
Congratulations! Connecting such an incredible network of naturalists.
Congratulations!! This is a very important tool to better value the world's flora and fauna.
It's great news. Congratulations to the promoters and also to the entire iNat community for this collective success.
Amazing how a few pictures taken by just regular folks can have such a huge impact. Well done to everyone.
Awesome! Outstanding! Congratulations!
Congratulations! This is so awesome! 👏👏😁😁
Many congratulations !
Congratulations everyone...our journey through Nature continues...life is a constant change...enjoy the adventures!
Well-deserved recognition! Keep up the good work.
Wonderful validation for iNaturalist and all the staff!
Congratulations to all! What an outstanding accomplishment!
Great news and great accomplishment! iNaturalist is the best web site!!! I love reading about how this site is being used by researchers!
Amazing! Great job.
Excellent acknowledgement of tireless commitment and unbounded enthusiasm for all things natural. Thank you for raising wonderful tool and for a place in this world wide community. Congratulations!
Amazing, so deserved and a great acknowledgement for the important work and tools you offer. Congrats!!
Guys, you rock! Great job!
Поздравляю всех причастных!
To all the curators, identifiers, observers, nature-lovers, and every Single inaturalist reading this right now, Congratulations!!!🎉 All of our observations and discoveries, no matter how big or how small, make up a very critical part of our natural world! 🌿🌴🌵🌳🌲🌱
I rock, you rock, we all rock!
This is so well deserved
Outstanding Performance, everyone!
Congratulations! Keep up the good work.
Congratulations everyone! A happy milestone to celebrate.
Many congratulations！
Congratulations!
Superb! And well-deserved!!
Congratulations!!!
Congrat！
Muchas felicidades
Felicitaciones por el muy merecido premio a esta maravillosa iniciativa, que reúne y cobija a cada vez más miembros unidos por una misma pasión: "Hacer conocer dándoles visibilidad a la pluralidad de seres vivos que habitan esta bellísima Tierra en la que estamos inmersos y que es nuestra única Casa; siendo nuestro deber hacer lo que esté a nuestro alcance para protegerla con toda su diversidad que obviamente nos incluye" Me siento muy felíz de pertenecer a ésta gran familia humana que a su manera lucha por la conservación del Planeta. Gracias.
Felicidades <3
Well deserved recognition for a really significant achievement. Humbled to be a tiny part of such a significant group.
太棒了，非常高兴听到好消息，来自中国的自然观察爱好者的强烈贺喜！
Great, very happy to hear the good news, strong congratulations from Naturalist in China!
Muy bien por la Biodiversidad, muy bien por cada naturalista. excelente herramienta para conocer nuestro entorno.
Congratulations INat
Congratulations Ina
Congratulations to iNat and all its exploring citizens and scientists !!
WONDERFUL!!! Una excelente plataforma que nos ha cautivado a millones de naturalistas alrededor del mundo.- One Hurrah for iNaturalist!!!
So exciting! Congratulations on creating such an amazing platform!!
BRAVI! Sono felice di far parte della comunità.
Awesome! Congratulations on this achievement!
Congratulations! You deserve it.
Well deserved!!! Congratulations!!
Congratulations !
Congratulations!
I applaud the choice of the award committee. I have learned more about nature from iNaturalist than any other way in my ~76 years of consciously observing nature!
Поздравляю! Это замечательно!
Congratulations and well deserved! An amazing community!
Вітаю з видатним досягненням!
I'm so glad I stopped to read this. Well done, and thank you for letting us know we are making a difference, if even in a small way, and for recognizing our level of passion and commitment to the environment. Coming from eBird, which I also greatly appreciate, the thing I love, love, love (among the many things you've listed in the article) is the encouraging and collaborative nature of the platform. No birders or stringers trying to be best in the county here. It's a better place for learning, and the naturalists I've connected with here are a treasured community for me. I'm so grateful for the inspired work you are doing for the planet. And what you do for the people who love it is wonderful as well.
:)
Parabéns a todos os envolvidos!
Мы все молодцы! Так держать!
Felicidades!!!
Congratulations!! Much deserved!
Congratulations!!
Congrats!!
Good to see this platform getting the recognition it deserves, thanks for providing this platform and improving it for all of us. Congrats!!
Congrats!!
Wonderful, congratulations
Kudos!
Congratulations! Fantastic news!
Wonderful... Congratulations...
Absolutely an amazing achievement!
Congratulations
well deserved, honoured to be part of such a passionate community!
Great...Congratualations iNat..
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