City Nature Challenge & COVID-19
The global challenge… fought locally
2020’s City Nature Challenge has been modified to keep organizers and participants safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than the typical competition, this year’s CNC is focusing on collaboration and spending restorative time in nature. You can still document biodiversity safely, although it may require some extra creativity or staying in your home.
The 2020 City Nature Challenge
takes place in two parts —
- April 24 – 27: Taking pictures of wild plants and animals.
- April 28 – May 3: Identifying what was found.
CNC is all about connecting people and communities with nature; It’s an opportunity to come together with citizen scientists from around the world and document our planet’s biodiversity. Simply find wildlife — a plant, animal, or any other evidence of life found nearby — then take a picture of your observation and record its location. To easily use your smartphone, download the iNaturalist app. Documenting what you’ve found in iNaturalist also allows you to share with your community and beyond.
Check here to see if your city is participating. Sheltering in place and wondering how to find nature in your house or yard? Start with these ideas and resources.
Sacramento City Nature Challenge 2020 is a GO! Please note that ALL regional in-person events have been canceled due to the state-wide stay at home order and need for social distancing. Luckily you can still join Never Home Alone: The Wilde Life of Homes Project in iNaturalist to record species found in your yard, from your windows, or even inside your home. The Sacramento Region has a goal of 15,000 observations this year; Invite your friends and family to join or tag @cncsacramento on social media and your observation may be highlighted. Find more information and see what we accomplished last year on the CNC Sacramento blog.
Above all, participants are urged to carefully follow their local governments’ public health guidelines and stay informed as these evolve real-time. Safety is our top priority for CNC 2020!
