UMass Amherst Libraries Bring City Nature Challenge to Pioneer Valley

The UMass Amherst Libraries are coordinating efforts for the Pioneer Valley’s participation in the annual international City Nature Challenge (CNC).

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The Challenge begins with a submission period from Friday, April 29 to Monday, May 2, during which participants submit observations such as photos or audio evidence of any wild organism in the Pioneer Valley using the free mobile app iNaturalist. The event organizers ask that participants please avoid submitting observations of plants found in landscaped areas and animals such as pets and those in captivity.

Following the submission period, a crowdsource-based identification period will take place from Tuesday, May 3 to Sunday, May 8.

The Challenge was started in 2016 by citizen science teams at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco as a fun way to capitalize on their home cities’ friendly rivalry and hold a citizen science event around urban biodiversity. The wildlife information gathered during the Challenge gives scientists, educators, urban planners, and policymakers insight into the biodiversity of urban locales throughout the world. Last year, more than one million observations were made.

This year marks the third year that the Pioneer Valley is officially participating. Melanie Radik, librarian in the Science and Engineering Library, is spearheading organization efforts with an information guide and the following workshops for interested participants:

• Learn iNaturalist for Nature Appreciation and Citizen Science (In-Person Session)
  Thursday, April 28 -- 10-11 a.m.
   
• Learn iNaturalist for Nature Appreciation and Citizen Science (Remote Session)
  Thursday, April 28 -- 10-11 a.m.
   
• SEL Science Fridays: City Nature Challenge (In-Person Session)
  Friday, April 29 -- 2-3 p.m.
   
• Wildlife Species Identification with iNaturalist (In-Person Session)
  Tuesday, May 3 -- 10-11 a.m.
   
• Wildlife Species Identification with iNaturalist (Remote Session)
  Tuesday, May 3 -- 10-11 a.m.

For more information about participating in the City Nature Challenge or about any of the event’s associated workshops, contact Melanie Radik at mradik@umass.edu.