That’s a Wrap for the 2024 City Nature Challenge 

The second annual City Nature Challenge has ended, and the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) was thrilled to once again be partners! Over the four days of the challenge, Londoners made 4,135 observations of species in London using iNaturalist, resulting in 3rd place in Ontario and 9th in Canada – way to go London! 

To help Londoners learn how to use iNaturalist, take good photos, and encourage participation in the challenge, the UTRCA hosted a “How to use iNaturalist” webinar. If you missed the webinar, you can watch the recorded version, on the UTRCA YouTube channel here.  

The UTRCA also hosted a Family Nature Walk at Fanshawe Conservation Area which was a huge success! With over 25 people in attendance, we caught insects and aquatic creatures and used iNaturalist to help us identify each species.  

Thank you to everyone who attended, not only our events, but all of the events offered through the City Nature Challenge and to those who made observations. 

— 

The City Nature Challenge is an international bioblitz style competition that encourages people to make as many observations of their local wildlife as possible within a 4-day period using a free app, iNaturalist. While the challenge has ended for 2024, we encourage everyone to continue to use iNaturalist and be community scientists year-round. By making observations on iNaturalist, you are helping the UTRCA and other scientists track and manage biodiversity, invasive species, and Species at Risk. To learn more about the City Nature Challenge, visit their website here. 

To learn more about the UTRCA’s Community Science program, contact April Scholz, Community Partnership Specialist or call 519-451-2800 x 227.