Today's episode features urban ecologist and University of Florida Professor Mark Hostetler discussing the iNaturalist City Nature Challenge, April 24-27, 2020. Alachua County is participating in this global event and you can help put our community on the map. It's easy to participate, just go outside and document all the plants and animals you can find in your yard and post them to iNaturalist.
Just follow these steps:
- Create an account at https://www.inaturalist.org/
- And/or download the iNaturalist app
- Take pictures of plants and animals in your yard and neighborhood (make sure your geo locater is on so it records that the photo was taken in Alachua County)
- You can also note observations without a photo (e.g., raccoon crossing the road)
- Post to iNaturalist through website or app
The information you post will help record the amazing biodiversity in your area and iNaturalist even helps one identify the plants and animals that you post.
Get the free app through your device, https://citynaturechallenge.org/participate/
Training video for the app here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDv2k6dhIr0
Ask questions here, Mark Hostetler, hostetm@ufl.edu
See the Alachua County iNaturalist site here, https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2020-alachua-county
Special thanks to:
ORGANIZERS: University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH: the Environmental Protection Department of Alachua County, the City of Gainesville and the Florida Museum of Natural History.
