City Nature Challenge 2021

Program Type:

Featured, Community Engagement, Science/STEAM

Age Group:

All Ages
Please note you are looking at an event that has already happened.

Event Details

The City Nature Challenge 2021 is a worldwide collaboration to document as many species of plants, insects, and animals as we can find in a four-day period from April 30 to May 3, 2021. This challenge is a great opportunity to get outdoors and learn more about our local environment. San Diego is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the contiguous United States so there is no shortage of wildlife to be seen! You may even discover a new species! Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, participants are urged to carefully follow current public health guidelines provided by our local government.

 

How to Participate:

Download the iNaturalist app from the App Store or Google Play.
 

STEP 1: Find wildlife anywhere in San Diego County.

STEP 2: Take photos of wild plants & animals.

STEP 3: Share your observations in the iNaturalist app.

STEP 4: Help identify what everyone found from May 4 – May 9, 2021.

 

Here are some ideas on how you can participate:

  • Explore your home or yard
    • What can you find by looking outside your windows?
    • What are the wild plants growing in your yard? (Hint: even weeds counts!)
    • What insects or other creatures can you find in your gardens?
    • What observations can you find along the sidewalk?
  • Explore your neighborhood
    • Take a walk and locate other organisms that live in your neighborhood
    • Look up! You can spot birds and insects in trees, on top of buildings, on telephone poles, etc.
    • Look down! Find insects and other creatures crawling on the ground, in the dirt, underneath leaves, etc.
    • Visit your local park, beach, or hiking trail. Look in the grass, on plants, under benches and tables, up in the trees, and in the sky – how many different species will you find?
  • There’s no need to know what species you’re photographing, the iNaturalist community will identify them for you – that’s part of the fun!


Visit our website to learn more about the challenge or register for a live informational Zoom session with the San Diego Natural History Museum on Friday, April 23 form 10:00-10:45am.

 

Join us for two City Nature Challenge-inspired virtual read alouds with Ms. Dana from the La Jolla Library on the SDPL Virtual Hub Facebook group:

  • STEM Storytime featuring "Pond Walk" by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace on Tuesday, April 27 at 10:00am
  • Preschool Storytime featuring "Title TBD" on Saturday, May 1 at 10:00am

Accessibility

Need disability-related modifications or accommodations? Information and program content can be made available in alternative formats upon request by emailing JFRogers@sandiego.gov.