Countdown to the City Nature Challenge

In just a few hours, when the clock strikes 12:01 AM, the 2018 City Nature Challenge will officially begin! It’s exciting to know that we’ll be joining fellow nature-lovers who already started the Challenge hours ago on the other side of the planet!

We’ve been waiting with excited anticipation for this event to highlight the biodiversity of our region. While we encourage you to participate on any of the 40+ activities planned in the DC metro area, you can simply step into your own backyard and share whatever you discover.

Over the next 4 days, we hope that you’ll explore your neighborhoods and parks and submit your observations of wild plants, bugs, birds and all critters large and small. Remember that any evidence of wildlife also counts, such as nests, bones, scat, footprints and even expired animals.

If you are not able to make any observations, you can also help with identifications. Is there a certain group of plants, bugs or animals that you know well? Then simply login and review the DC area observations and validate as many as you can. See our local events page for info about our species identification events, where we’ll gather and identify species together.

We’ll be making observations from 12:01 AM on Friday, April 27th through 11:59 PM on Monday, April 30th. Then we’ll have through May 3rd to make as many identifications as possible. Remember that our findings are contributing to science, so the clearer the photos, the easier they’ll be to identify. Results will be announced on May 4th.

Don’t forget to share your experience on social media using the hashtag #CityNatureChallenge. We want to see where you’re exploring, who you’re with and what cool stuff you are finding.

Follow our region’s observations here and follow the global challenge leaderboard here.

Happy iNatting!

Posted on April 27, 2018 03:52 AM by ana_kaahanui