City Nature Challenge is back! You can contribute to community science during this global biodiversity challenge no matter where you are, from downtown Vancouver, to paddling the Pitt-Addington Marsh, to exploring the beaches of White Rock! Observations collected during this period are used for monitoring biodiversity and ecological research.
From April 25th – April 28th, use iNaturalist to make observations anywhere around the region, and they’ll be added to this project!
Participation is easy:
- Visit iNaturalist and create an account.
- Join the Fraser River Discovery Centre project here: City Nature Challenge 2025: Metro Vancouver Regional District
- Make observations of a wild animal, plant, or fungus from April 26th to April 29th, 2024.
Observations can be uploaded directly through your smartphone or computer through to May 4th.
On this page, you will find links to the iNaturalist project, as well as links to view the quick start guide with resources on iNaturalist, identifying species, and community science in general. You will also find a list of events and programs to register for the City Nature Challenge!
City Nature Challenge 2024 Results
The City Nature Challenge in 2024 brought together 83,528 participants and over 2.4 million observations! The Metro Vancouver Regional District made the most observations within Canada, with 14,066 observations and 1,563 different species observed! You can check out the results for last year’s CNC here and Metro Vancouver’s results on the iNaturalist page.
INATURALIST PROJECT
iNaturalist Project
INATURALIST APP
QUICK START GUIDE
If you’re new to iNaturalist, or not sure how to make observations, check out some of the great resources linked below!
- Check out iNatualist’s Support Page and Video Tutorials. Browse the iNatHelp support page to explore more help topics.
- Dive deep into the world of citizen science and biodiversity observations with FRDC’s Curated Collection of Digital Resources.
Guided walk: Saturday, April 26th, 10:00am-11:00am
Join the FRDC for a guided nature walk around Minnekhada Regional Park. During this guided nature walk, we will discover the amazing ferns, fungus, and fantastical birds while using the iNaturalist app.
Pre-registration is required. Register for the Guided Walk here!
The Bug Files: Saturday, April 26th, 2:00pm-3:00pm
Join the FRDC at Campbell Valley Regional Park for this month’s River Basin Days. We’ll explore the secrets of the insect world—investigating insect strength, benefits, and habitats! Learn about amazing insects around the Fraser River by exploring their hidden world while making observations through the iNaturalist app!
Pre-registration is required. Register for the River Basin Days workshop here!
Required for all CNC events:
- A device with the iNaturalist app already downloaded. Observations can be uploaded immediately using data or uploaded later using a WiFi connection.
- Appropriate clothes and shoes for the weather.
- A sense of curiosity!
Looking for Ways Your Class Can Participate?
If you’re looking for ways for your class to participate in this year’s City Nature Challenge, check out the Education Toolkit on the City Nature Challenge website! Try checking out iNaturalist’s Educator’s Guide for more information on how to make and upload observations onto iNaturalist as well.