City Nature Challenge in Guilford Woods
Sponsored by the Anacostia Watershed Society and the Coalition to Save Guilford Woods
1:00-3:00 pm
Sunday, May 1, 2022
Guilford Woods, like every part of the Anacostia watershed, is home to many different species. Help us get out there and document the biodiversity in this beautiful ecosystem during the 2022 City Nature Challenge, an international citizen science effort to spot and identify as much wildlife as possible in urban areas around the globe.
Explore the woods and stream and discover some of the fascinating species living in this environmentally sensitive area. Using the free iNaturalist app, snap photos with your smartphone camera to identify and record the plants and animals you observe. The information you collect will help showcase the wildlife of the Washington DC metro area and provide scientists with important data about urban biodiversity. The event is open to all ages. For kids in grades K-5, there will be special guided activities to learn about ecology and the importance of biodiversity, including a scavenger hunt and more! Click here for directions to Guilford Woods.
Register for the City Nature Challenge in Guilford Woods here.
About the City Nature Challenge
Started in 2016 as a competition between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the City Nature Challenge (CNC) has grown into an annual global event with participants from more than 400 cities around the world. Each year, participating metropolitan areas collaborate in a friendly competition to see whose residents can observe the most wildlife species in a four-day period—this year, from April 29 to May 2. Results will be announced on May 9.
Resources
- Check out these resources to learn more about how to participate in the CNC and how to use iNaturalist.
- Upcoming trainings:
Tips for the Event
Create an iNaturalist account and download the app to your smartphone before the event.
Join the CNC project on iNaturalist here.
Dress appropriately for the weather and for walking through overgrown natural areas that may have poison ivy and ticks.
If it's raining, bring a dry bag or other waterproof container to protect your phone and other personal items.
Wear closed-toed shoes that are sturdy and can get damp.
Bring a water bottle, insect repellent, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses, and a notebook and pencil to record observations and notes.
Please bring and wear a mask if unable to practice social distancing at the event.
Do not come if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 5 days, are experiencing any of these symptoms, or have come into close contact with anyone who has just tested positive for COVID-19.
