PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Nearly 700 cities around the globe, including Philadelphia, are participating in the ninth annual City Nature Challenge, a four-day event that encourages people to document biodiversity and connect with nature. Then, scientists use those records to make informed decisions about conservation.
Participants can simply download the free iNaturalist app and upload photos, videos or audio clips of nature.
“Nature is everywhere, and we really want to open people’s eyes to that,” said Kathryn Christopher, manager of science communication and outreach for the Patrick Center for Environmental Research at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. The academy is one of the partner organizations for the 2024 City Nature Challenge.
“The Philadelphia geographic area that is part of the City Nature Challenge encompasses quite a wide area,” she said. “It’s Philadelphia and then all of the counties that touch it. So in Pennsylvania, that’s going to be Philadelphia County, Delaware County, Montgomery County and Bucks County. In New Jersey, it’s Camden County and Gloucester County.”
Organizers say the data collected through iNaturalist helps leaders make informed conservation decisions that allow both human and natural communities to thrive.
“iNaturalist is free to download and use, and you don’t have to go to a park or have a backyard to participate,” Christopher added. “You can just spend five minutes on your balcony or front stoop or sidewalk and I’ll guarantee you’ll find something.”
Last year, more than 630 people in the greater Philadelphia area participated, making more than 15,000 observations and finding more than 2,000 species during the four-day challenge.
This year’s challenge takes place from April 26 to 29. For more information, visit citynaturechallenge.org.