City Nature Challenge

Join the City Nature Challenge!

Join Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo this spring in the 2024 City Nature Challenge. The City Nature Challenge is an annual competition to see who can make the most observations in nature.
Check back soon for a schedule of the 2024 City Nature Challenge!

Join the City Nature Challenge!
2024 Schedule Coming Soon!

What is City Nature Challenge?
Cities compete to see which can make the most observations of nature, find the most species and engage the most people. It started in 2016 and has quickly grown to more than 400 participating cities around the world.

When is it?
Check back soon for the 2024 Nature Walk schedule!

How are observations logged?
In Fairfield & Westchester counties, please use iNaturalist, the free app/website of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature.

Who can do it?
Anyone! Tell your friends about Fairfield/Westchester’s City Nature Challenge and encourage them to make observations.

Why participate in the City Nature Challenge?
There is nature all around us, even in our cities and backyards! Knowing what species are in our city and where they are helps us study and protect them, but the ONLY way to do that is by all of us – scientists, land managers, and the community – working together to find and document the nature in our area. By participating in the City Nature Challenge, not only do you learn more about your local nature, but you can also make your city a better place – for you and other species!

This challenge provides an important global snapshot of local biodiversity. Last year, 445 cities in 47 countries made 1.7 million observations, documenting more than 50,100 species!

How to Join the City Nature Challenge

Step 1:
Download the iNaturalist app and create an account.• Download the app (easiest): Android App (Google Play) iOS App (iTunes), or use iNaturalist online.
iNaturalist "Getting Started" Guide.

Step 2:
Record your observation with a photograph and upload the photo to the app.