Please help put NE OH on the map with the City Natural Challenge this weekend. All observations will also be included in the Lower Lake Erie project.

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022

Wow, you did it. We pushed passed 1,000,000 observations on the Lower Lake Erie CSI alone. Thank you for your continued support. The observations made to this project are of great value to us. We utilize the data to make regional conservation decisions for our natural areas including restoration needs, protection of species and monitoring spread of invasive species.
Thank you again for your continued participation in iNaturalist and the Lower Lake Erie CSI.

WOW, iNaturalist has really grown in the past several years - as has our Lower Lake Erie Region CSI project - many thanks to you! I am guessing that our region will exceed 500,000 observations this year - what a huge benefit to local knowledge.

As we dive in to exploration in 2020, I have a few reminders and suggestions:

1. Consider adjusting your project privacy settings to allow project managers and curators to access your hidden coordinates - all of us are conservationists active in regional efforts.
2. Consider using this slow season to scan old photographs or past digital photos that would be useful records to add to the project.
3. Consider focusing on small or secretive organisms. These are the most likely to be overlooked, new to the site and/or data-deficient. A macro-lens/case for your phone or camera is a very cheap way to explore a whole new world right at your doorstep!

Let's celebrate the New Year by adding one new species to your iNaturalist life list today! Too easy? How about adding 10 new records this week to celebrate iNaturalist's 10 year anniversary! Still too easy? How about 19 for 2019?

You can see where I am going with this! Although winter often feels like nature slows down, there are plenty of cool things to observe! Shake off the winter blues with a nature hike and a little inat-ing.

Beginning a week from tomorrow the Cleveland region will be competing in City Nature Challenge 2018. Watch the teaser video on our LEAP Website. Then make sure you join our Cleveland project and get ready to post some observations. It looks like the weather might even look like spring next weekend : ) I hope to see you out there!

In less than two months (April 27-30) the Cleveland region will be competing in the City Nature Challenge 2018 with 60 cities around the world to have the most records, species and participants. One thing I know is that this area is rich in species - and citizen scientists!! I am certain we can win this if we all pitch in, so please check out our Cleveland project, then join and put it on your calendars so we can bring it home!

Lower Lake Erie CSI had a great year. We surpassed 100,000 records in July and we are still growing. As the season and weather changes, don't be afraid to get out there and make more observations! We have some neat species that migrate to our area to spend the winter and documenting those critters are important as well.
You turn into a coach potato when the weather gets cold? No problem. Dig into those old photos of Christmas past and beyond and add those observations to the project as well!
You snow bird or travel for the holidays? Perfect, take time to get out in nature and participate in iNaturalist. The walk will help you burn calories and contribute to science!
Help us keep the momentum going and thank you for your continued participation.

Our project turned five years old this year and John Wampler just gave us our 100,000th observation (http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/6942801) a few minutes ago. Thanks to all of you who have participated, and especially to those who have joined our project. You are providing regional conservation with invaluable data about our species diversity. Please continue sharing your observations and knowledge as we move forward, and consider joining our project if you are not already a member. Thanks again!

Due to the federal listing of the rusty patched bumblebee (discussed in the last post), we Ohioans started Ohio Bee Atlas! Please help us by joining and participating in this or other bee related projects this summer to try to find and protect the last holdouts of our beautiful native bumblebee.

Check out the project page or The Ohio State University's Bee Lab to find more about the bee and other ways to help in this national effort.

The rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinus) was recently added to the federally endangered species list. It was once a common species whose distribution included all of the Lower Lake Erie region.
The rusty patched bumble bee has been observed and collected in a variety of habitats that include prairies, woodlands, marshes, agricultural landscapes and residential parks and gardens. There are some historical records in our region.
http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/121519-Bombus-affinis
We know that pollinators of all types play important roles in our ecosystem, yet are in decline due to habitat loss, use of pesticides and disease. Local conservation groups are working to put a formal survey protocol together for this upcoming field season for the rusty patched bumble bee. In the meantime, we encourage you to add your historic bee records. Records of this species, and others, may turn up new and valuable information.

To learn more about identifying this species please visit the Xerces Society:
http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/affinis_pocketid.pdf