Document nature, help scientists during City Nature Challenge

Ready to notice nature? Join the City Nature Challenge, a community science event to find and document urban wildlife, beginning April 26 across Nebraska.

The global challenge is a chance to look for nature in urban areas and learn about the animal and plant life discovered there.

Using the free iNaturalist app, participants photograph nature and upload their observations to the app between April 26-29. Then they help identify observations between April 30-May 5.

Wildlife can be any wild plant, animal, fungi or other evidence of life, such as scat, fur or tracks. Participants can even document species through their windows.

Though anyone may participate in the CNC global project, Nebraska partners are hosting the challenge from three urban locations across the state. Search iNaturalist for the following project near you:

• Lincoln-Lancaster County
• Omaha Metro
• Scotts Bluff County
• Global Project

Learn how you can get involved locally to contribute to science globally by registering for the City Nature Challenge webinar in the event listing at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. The webinar is 6 p.m. Central time April 16. Or catch the recording after the webinar on the “Nebraska Game and Parks Education” YouTube channel.

Visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/CityNatureChallenge for more information about the City Nature Challenge, including a video about how to use iNaturalist, and partners on the projects.

The City Nature Challenge, launched in 2016 as a competition between two U.S. cities, is now an international competition to document nature and better understand urban biodiversity. In 2023, more than 66,000 people participated, recording more than 1.8 million observations around the globe. Learn more at CityNatureChallenge.org.