Now that we already know the dates for the next City Nature Challenge, we have much more time to spread the word. We need your help!

We will have two informational conference calls next week to help spread the word throughout the DC AND Baltimore metro areas.
Tuesday, Sept 25, 12-1 PM
-and-
Friday, Sept 29, 10-11 AM

Dial-in Number: (712) 770-4035; Access Code: 641361

Add your name to this spreadsheet to sign up for one of the calls. <<<

This year Baltimore is also joining in. We'll be in friendly competition with the Baltimore metro area during the City Nature Challenge itself, but we are joining forces to spread the word and share ideas.

Please share this invitation to regional organizations interested in biodiversity (e.g. Master Naturalist chapters, conservation/environmental nonprofits, parks, nature centers, native plant groups, nature photography clubs, museums, schools, universities, land management entities, relevant government organizations, conservancies/trusts, garden clubs, community gardens, hiking/paddling clubs, etc.).

City Nature Challenge participants! Thanks so much for your energy and enthusiasm for the City Nature Challenge this year – it was incredible to see so many people excited to document their local nature.

Please help us make the City Nature Challenge even better next year!

If you took part in the City Nature Challenge – whether you made 1 observation or 1000 – we’re hoping you’ll fill out this short (only 5 questions!) survey to let us know about your experience. All input is important and appreciated!

Link to survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CNC2017

Thanks in advance!
Alison Young & Lila Higgins, City Nature Challenge coordinators
(California Academy of Sciences & Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County)

The results were declared based on the numbers at noon on Saturday (Earth Day), and the DC metropolitan area had a respectable 4843 observations, 901 species, and 167 people. You can read more about the results from all of the cities on the overall project.

If you want to see how different states and DC contributed, here are some filtered views of contributions to the project (in order of # of observations and species):
Virginia
DC
Maryland
West Virginia

In terms of participation, @birderkellyk topped the chart with 403 observations! I want to especially thank everyone who submitted over 100 observations during that time—I know that's a significant time commitment on your part! You are especially awesome. @treegrow @judygva @jacobogre @belyykit @peggyo @mdnaturalist @aabugattas @mellis @arbiess @stella20009 @annagypsy @tminatbe @krosenthal @elliotgreiner

Identifications generally get done by a smaller, diligent subset of the community and this was no exception. Thanks to you @tsn and @ruggedbynature who contributed IDs even though they didn't contribute observations (I assume they live out of range!). Many thanks to @mellis @laura_sebastianelli @tminatbe @slider4 who contributed over 100 IDs in addition to observing for the City Nature Challenge!

Thank you also to everyone who helped spread the word and organize in-person events. It was great fun to meet several of you at the two events I attended.

Next year the City Nature Challenge will go international and we'll have big competition from cities in New Zealand and Mexico for sure! What ideas to do you have for next year? How can we fill in those big gaps in our map?

Hope you all keep exploring and sharing what you find on iNaturalist!

Thank you ALL for getting outside and making observations over the last 5 days! The totals for each city (observations, species, and people) will be announced at noon local time on Saturday (Earth Day!). That means that we have the next 2.5 days to make sure everything that can be identified gets an ID. We need your help!

First of all, if you still have observations to upload, do that by Friday night. I know I still have a few. Bug your friends and family who might have some, too!

Next, get on your computer if you've only been using the app. Watch this short video about how to use the Identify interface.

Then, use this link to all of the City Nature Challenge observations from our area that don't have ID confirmation at the species level. Apply filters to find what you know best and start suggesting/confirming IDs.

Add comments too! Make a new friend! Ask questions and learn some tips for how to distinguish similar species!

Chime in if you have questions. Happy identifying!

Thanks to everyone who has added observations so far—keep it up! We're at:
1746 Observations
444 Species
107 People

There are still big areas of the City Nature Challenge area that are unvisited. Do you know people in Ashburn, Leesburg, Berryville, Middleburg, Warrenton, Sperryville, Culpepper, Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania (Virginia), Waldorf, Charles County, Calvert County, Frederick County (Maryland), or Harper's Ferry (West Virginia)? If so, please tell them about the City Nature Challenge and get them on iNaturalist!

Raleigh is the city closest to us on the leaderboard that we have a shot at beating:
2253 Observations
624 Species
116 People

We've got through Tuesday, but I know that many people will be back at work this week so let's get as many as we can this weekend. Be safe & considerate, and have fun!

The Washington, DC metropolitan area is in a friendly competition with 15 other cities across the U.S. to observe as much biodiversity as we can over 5 days. This is why we need you! Anything you observe during that time within the boundary will automatically be counted for the City Nature Challenge DC as long as you upload it before Saturday, April 22. That means you just need to get out, observe, and upload!

Please join the City Nature Challenge project to get updates (like this journal post).

Click here to find events if you'd like to join other naturalists for the City Nature Challenge.

The DC metro area includes large parts of Virginia, Maryland, and even a bit of West Virginia. Check out the boundary here. It's a BIG area—it includes Virginia south to Spotsylvania and Culpepper; the northern end of Shenandoah National Park up to Clarke county; Frederick, MD north to the PA border; the southern half of Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge; PG, Charles, & Calvert counties Maryland to the southeast.

I'm tagging everyone who has added at least 10 observations from within the boundary area since March 1 of this year. I hope you can all add 10 more observations during the City Nature Challenge!
@treichard @mellis @jgingold @belyykit @elliotgreiner @tminatbe @greenbee3 @mattshabitats @judygva @krosenthal @michaelskvarla @tkirk304 @joshrudder @tobes61 @jacobogre @lucareptile @lynnparsons @peggyo @viennapetcare @botanygirl @rgates @annagypsy @shinnickj @salamander9505 @ebonilla @stinkbug @chelsey9 @etotin @nateemery @mdnaturalist @naturalareas @pmk00001 @rosetileston @shaunmichael @dnewberry @kearins @klthomasart @nickvance17 @treegrow @crittertrackerboss1 @dctr @lisam @monicaeb @olee @suzanne11 @timbir5
Can you all share the link to this journal post with two other iNaturalist users in this area?

It would also be great if each of you can add at least 10 identifications to other people's observations, too! Here's a link to the identification interface for observations starting on April 8 (so you can get a little practice in advance).

Are you going to be away during that time? Check out the 15 other cities participating in the City Nature Challenge!

You can explore on your own during April 14-18, but if you want to meet up with others, here's a running list of where and when.

Friday, April 14
10 am – 12 pm at Gulf Branch Nature Center (3608 Military Road, Arlington, VA), @krosenthal leading
10:30 am - 2 pm, National Museum of Natural History, 10th & Constitution Ave., in front of Baird Auditorium. Meet other CNC participants and get help using the iNaturalist app & website.
1-3 pm Long Branch Nature Center (Arlington, VA), @cfairweather leading

Saturday, April 15
8:45 - 11 am, iNaturalist walk in Dyke Marsh. Meet at the entrance of Haul Road (aka Dyke Marsh Trail), contact @laura_sebastianelli
9 am - 12 pm, Aquatic Resources Education Center in Anacostia Park (Washington, DC), contact @rgauzagronert
10 am - 12 pm, iNaturalist Mall Crawl (Meet at the T. rex skull in the Constitution Ave lobby of the National Museum of Natural History), organized by @kearins.
10am - 1 pm, Children’s Garden on the playground at 1480 Girard St. NW, WDC, 20009. City Blossoms at the Girard Children’s Garden Spring Work Day. Just show up and explore the garden with @katierehwaldt!

Sunday, April 16
Explore on your own. Happy Easter (for those of you who celebrate)!

Monday, April 17
TBD—want to volunteer?

Tuesday, April 18
11-1 pm, Courthouse Plaza (Arlington, VA), Azalea Room, @krosenthal leading
12-1 pm, The Nature Conservancy's native plant garden (Arlington, VA)

Are there others I'm missing? Add them in the comments!

Thanks to the many organizations for organizing! I'll do another post soon about how to participate on your own and help spread the word.

In preparation for the City Nature Challenge, next Tuesday, April 4 from 6-8 PM I will lead a hands-on (indoors) iNaturalist workshop hosted at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1200 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC).

We will go over features of the iNaturalist website and mobile apps, practice adding observations, comments, and identifications, learn how to explore other people's observations, and how to keep up on the City Nature Challenge. It will be interactive and hands-on, so please bring:
-Laptop
-Smartphone or tablet with iNaturalist app installed
-A few photos of wild plants or animals (can be on your phone or laptop, or both)

Due to the timing, you may want to bring your dinner to eat during the event. We'll have some cookies for dessert.

Please let me know if you plan to attend. Hope to see you next week!

P.S. Other area organizations may plan similar events—stay tuned!

Is your organization interested in biodiversity, outdoor exploration, and/or citizen science? If so, the City Nature Challenge is a great excuse to explore with iNaturalist. Here are several suggestions of how to get your organization/office/neighborhood involved.

In advance
-Have a session on how to use iNaturalist (easiest to start inside with a projector and laptops, then go outside with the app). Here are some presentations you can use for starters. I recommend live navigation of the site and/or app if possible, and even better if they have their own laptops and mobile devices, too.
-Spread the word to members/email list/social media with basic iNaturalist instructions or videos.

During the City Nature Challenge (April 14-18)
-Promote it on social media with the hashtag #citynaturechallenge.
-Get staff outside during a lunch hour making observations (you could offer staff fun prizes)
-Incorporate iNaturalist observations into an existing program during that time.
-Host an upload and identification party to make sure that all of the data gets submitted and help identify observations that have been submitted so far. Be sure to add welcoming, encouraging comments too. Here's an example of a gathering we did after the NPS BioBlitz last year.
-Issue a press release (there are templates)

Afterwards (April 18-22)
-Host another upload/identification party to help make sure that everything from the DC area gets uploaded and identified.

Remember, everything observed within the DC metropolitan area during April 14-18 and uploaded by April 22 will count! We're in friendly competition with 15 other cities, so during the event you can keep track of the leaderboards for the whole City Nature Challenge.

Anything you can to do recruit new (i)naturalists (of all levels of experience) helps cultivate a biophilic city.