Community Nature Project
We need your help in observing nature! Join our Community Nature Project and learn more about the watershed’s biodiversity by logging information about the species you see, on the iNaturalist Canada platform. iNaturalist helps you instantly identify plants and animals anywhere you go and log your observations. Get connected with a community of over a million scientists and naturalists who can help you learn more about nature.
Your observations will help expand our knowledge of what species live here. This information will be used to:
- Provide data for the UTRCA’s Watershed Report Cards,
- Educate people through school and community programming,
- Provide data about species, and
- Provide data about invasive species in the watershed.
![Beaver live in many streams and rivers in the Thames watershed Beaver eats vegetation at the edge of a pond](https://thamesriver.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/iNaturalist-beaver-web.jpg)
How to Get Started
- Create an account with iNaturalist
- Join one or all of the UTRCA’s projects to log your information
- When collecting data, please keep the following guidelines in mind
- Check out the recording from our first Community Science webinar “How to use iNaturalist”
You can also help the UTRCA track the distribution of invasive, non-native species and forest pests by logging those observations.
Many Species at Risk may be found in the Upper Thames River watershed. Be aware that sharing location information may jeopardize the species at that site — always mask coordinates when sharing species sightings on platforms such as iNaturalist.
![Cedar Waxwing enjoy eating the fruit of the Serviceberry tree Bird sits in a tree and eats a berry](https://thamesriver.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/iNaturalist-cedarwaxwing-web.jpg)
Video Tutorials & More on the iNaturalist Canada Site
- Why join iNaturalist.ca? (YouTube)
- How to add an observation using the iNaturalist app – YouTube or pdf instructions
- How to add an observation online at iNaturalist.ca – YouTube or pdf instructions
Contact Us
- April Scholz, Community Partnerships Specialist