Residents of all ages are invited to get outdoors, connect with nature and participate in one of the largest citizen science initiatives in the world.
From April 29 through May 2, DeLand will join more than 400 other cities in the City Nature Challenge as we seek to learn more about our urban biodiversity.
To participate, residents can follow these simple steps:
- Download the iNaturalist app from Google Play Store or App Store
- Sign up for your own iNaturalist account
- Join the project called CITY NATURE CHALLENGE 2022: VOLUSIA COUNTY
- From April 29 – May 2, sign into your iNaturalist account and use the app to take pictures of wildlife, which includes animals, bugs, plants and trees, etc., in parks and greenspaces in the community! Make sure you note the location. Share your observations.
- Residents can also help with identifying observations so people can learn about biodiversity in our city.
“As a city that is working to become more resilient and sustainable for now and the future, I believe this is a fantastic opportunity for our residents to become more familiar with the wildlife in our urban ecosystem,” said Mayor Bob Apgar. “I encourage everyone to take some time during the challenge to get outside and document what they see consistent with the requirements of the challenge.”
Once species have been recorded and submitted through the app, they will be identified and catalogued.
Started in 2016 by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences, the event has quickly become a global event. In 2020, more than 41,000 people across 244 cities took part in the City Nature Challenge. More than 32,000 species were found including 1,300+ rare/endangered/threatened species.
— DeLand Community Information Manager Chris Graham
