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City Nature Challenge: WASHINGTON DC Region

iNaturalist Challenge Ideas

Here are some ways to challenge your own abilities to observe and document the world around you.

Join the Project on iNaturalist

How to Participate
  • "Observe" means to add a photo or sound recording  to your iNaturalist account.
  • Use iNaturalist to document all life: plants, animals, fungi, and any other biota. 
  • Try not to include domestic animals, cultivated/garden plants, or humans (or at least mark them as "captive/cultivated")
  • Observations made between the established dates will automatically become part of the Challenge.
  • Join the Challenge to be listed on the Leader Board. 
  • Share your photos on social media with the hashtags #CNC2023 and if it's found in Calvert County #CalvertNaturally

Become a Calvert Steward volunteer and your participation counts towards volunteer hours! Read more about the volunteer opportunity...

Tutorials: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/video+tutorials

Washington DC City Nature Challenge 2025: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2025-washington-dc-metro-area



Some ideas for iNaturalist Observations
  1. On Friday start as early as you can (the event starts at 12:01 am) and make your first observation of the CNC.
  2. Observe life found inside your house (not a pet, houseplant or human).  Consider joining the Project "Never Home Alone" to share your observations. 
  3. Observe the details of a tree. Include at least 3 of these features on your Observation: Leaf, Flower, Seed, Twig, Trunk, Bark, Habitat/Landscape. 
  4. Observe an insect on a flower
  5. Complete the Insect Bingo Challenge. Download the Bingo Card and the ID Cards
  6. Mark out a 3' square in your yard. Make as many different observations as you can of things found in your square.
  7. Observe a rainbow of flowers! Make at least one observation of each color (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, White)
  8. Use the "Record Sound" to observe a bird or insect sound.

NEWS FROM THE CITY NATURE CHALLENGE COORDINATORS

The 2026 CNC is  scheduled for 4/24-2/27 for observations,  and through May 3 for identifications. Calvert County is part of the City Nature Challenge of the Washington DC region.

During the four-day challenge,  individuals and groups will be on the hunt for animals, plants, mushrooms, and other life forms. These observations will be documented on iNaturalist and counted towards our region's tally. As a participant, it is up to you how much or how little you take part.

Download the iNaturalist app and create a free account.

Webinars

iNaturalist 101 - Exploring Biodiversity at Home (recorded April 9, 2020)

Upcoming Zoom  webinars:

Exploring Nature with Kids: Virtual Learning with iNaturalist & Seek (Train the Trainer, for Teachers, Parents, Youth Leaders) from April 16, 2020.

How to Take Quality Photos for iNaturalist
(link pending)

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