City Nature Challenge

 
The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority, the Sault Naturalists, and the City of Sault Ste. Marie invites area residents to participate in the 2023 City Nature Challenge - Sault Ste. Marie, part of a global competition with over 450 cities around the world competing to gather the most observations about nature, local plants, and wildlife. The competition runs from April 28 - May 1, with identification to be completed between May 2 – May 7, and results announced May 8th.
 
Participants who submit five (5) observations, including identification will be entered into a draw to win $100 gift card from Great Lakes Outfitters, generously donated by the SSMRCA.
 
Registration is required to be eligible for the prize
You must complete the form here to be eligible for the prize so we can verify your observations in iNaturalist.
 

Special Event - April 29

The 2023 Sault Ste. Marie City Nature Challenge will include a group activity led by the Sault Naturalists on Saturday, April 29th at the Parks Canada lower parking lot at 10 a.m. Members and non-members of the Sault Naturalists are welcome. Non-members will be required to sign and complete the Sault Naturalists Waiver, which will be available on-site. For questions about this group activity please contact Val Walker at valwalker8@yahoo.ca.   

Why participate?

There is nature all around us! 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!
 

Taking Part is Easy

      

Find Wildlife 

Take a Picture 

Share

It can be any WILD plant, animal, or any other evidence of life found in your city. Take a picture or record the sound of what you find. Be sure to note the location of the animal, bird, or plant.  Share your observations through iNaturalist. Remember if it's planted by people it's not WILD.

 

Observations can be submitted by downloading the free iNaturalist app from the App Store or Google Play and creating an account. 

FAQ

Have a question about Key dates, Making observations, or iNaturalist? Visit one of the links below.
Visit the City Nature Challenge page at www.citynaturechallenge.org for instructions and tips or check out the links below.
 
https://www.citynaturechallenge.org/faq
www.inaturalist.org/pages/help
www.inaturalist.org/pages/video+tutorials
Related Documents
Specific Documents
pdf.png file type Educator Guide: Using iNaturalist with Students
(iNaturalist is designed to be used by anyone, and with practice can be a great tool for students. This guide will walk you through recommendations for the best ways to use iNaturalist with students in formal or informal settings so they learn from the experience and contribute high-quality observations to the iNaturalist community.)
pdf.png file type Educator Basecamp: General Public Audience
(As a part of the CNC education toolkit, a group of educators at institutions around the world has gathered and reviewed hundreds of resources about biodiversity and citizen science that are relevant to the City Nature Challenge. These resources are our recommended activities for the general public.)