Libraries
Pioneer Valley. Logo for City Nature Challenge. 2 silhouettes of hands holding phones taking photos of birds and leaves, respectively.

UMass Amherst Libraries Bring City Nature Challenge to Western Massachusetts

Pioneer Valley. Logo for City Nature Challenge. 2 silhouettes of hands holding phones taking photos of birds and leaves, respectively.

The UMass Amherst Libraries are pleased to coordinate efforts for Western Massachusetts’s participation in the eighth annual City Nature Challenge (CNC), Friday, April 28, 12:01 a.m. to Monday, May 8, 11:59 p.m. The global event calls on current and aspiring community scientists, nature and science fans, and people of all ages and educational backgrounds to observe and submit photographic or audio evidence of wild plants, animals, and fungi using the free mobile app, iNaturalist, from April 28 through May 1. Identification of photographed species will be crowdsourced through the online community from May 2 through May 7, with results announced on May 8.

According to the CNC website, the Challenge was started in 2016 by citizen science teams at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco “as a fun way to capitalize on their home cities’ friendly rivalry and hold a citizen science event around urban biodiversity.” Additionally, the wildlife information gathered during the Challenge “gives scientists, educators, urban planners, and policymakers insight into the biodiversity of urban locales throughout the world.” Last year, more than one million observations were made.

This year marks the fourth year that Western Massachusetts is officially participating. Melanie Radik, librarian in the Science and Engineering Library, is spearheading organization efforts with an information guide and the following workshops for interested participants:

Learn iNaturalist for Nature Appreciation and Citizen Science (In-Person)
Saturday, April 15, 11 a.m.-Noon
W. E. B. Du Bois Library, Lower Level, Calipari Room

Learn iNaturalist for Nature Appreciation and Citizen Science (In-Person)
Friday, April 28, 11 a.m.-Noon
Science & Engineering Library, Learning Studio

Learn iNaturalist for Nature Appreciation and Citizen Science (Online)
Friday, April 28, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Online

Wildlife Species Identification with iNaturalist (Online)
Tuesday, May 2, 10-11 a.m.
Online 

Wildlife Species Identification with iNaturalist (In-Person)
Tuesday, May 2, 4-5 p.m.
Science & Engineering Library, Learning Studio

More Information and Education Toolkit
Visit citynaturechallenge.org

iNaturalist
Signing up is easy and free. Visit inaturalist.org from your browser, or download iNaturalist from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Social Media
#CityNatureChallenge
Twitter: @citnatchallenge
Instagram: @citnatchallenge