Spring is here, and the birds and bees are out. Enjoy the outdoors this weekend and snap pictures for the City Nature Challenge. Help document wildlife in your neighborhood and community.
Join an international challenge to help your city discover and document the most plants and wildlife in an urban area with the City Nature Challenge from April 28 – May 1.
The City Nature Challenge is a family-friendly, global competition among metro areas to see whose residents can spot and identify the most wildlife. Residents can look for plants and animals in backyards, local parks, hiking trails, neighborhoods and other areas.
To participate, create a free iNaturalist app account and upload your photos taken from April 28 – May 1.
In Kansas City, City Nature Challenge events include:
- City Nature Challenge at the Discovery Center – Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO. These events are hosted by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
- Heartland Nature Celebration – Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Heartland Overlook Preserve, 9106 Chestnut Ave., Kansas City, MO. Hosted by The Heartland Conservation Alliance, there will be guided nature hikes every 30 minutes.
- Jerusalem + Kessler Park – Saturday, April 29 at 10 a.m. at Kessler Park,Chestnut Trafficway and Cliff Drive, Kansas City, MO. Jerusalem Farm is hosting a guided hike with a naturalist.
In 2022, 229 people in Kansas City participated in the challenge who identified 643 different species with a total of 1,919 observations.
Get more information from City Nature Challenge sponsors, including the city of Kansas City, MO, the Heartland Conservation Alliance and Kansas City Zoo.
Find events in your city at City Nature Challenge.