City Nature Challenge 2023

The annual City Nature Challenge with cities around the world collaborating to document urban biodiversity will take place on April 28 - May 1, 2023. Three of Alberta's major urban areas are involved this year and other municipalities are encouraged to take part! Take photos of any wild flora and fauna seen April 28 - May 1 and upload your observations to the iNaturalist app or iNaturalist.ca before May 7 (midnight). With nearly 50 Canadian cities taking part, we will see which area can make the most observations, document the most species, and engage the most people. It is expected that more than 500 cities globally will participate in 2023! This is a free event and you can participate anywhere within your project boundaries. Look for plants, mammals, birds, insects, fungi, lichens, fish, or even microorganisms in your yard, local parks, natural areas, or the lesser-explored places of our cities!

2023 Dates:

April 28-May 1 (observation period)

May 2 – 7 (Upload and Identification)

Results announced on May 8

Alberta Cities Participating:

Calgary Metropolitan Region: Airdrie, Chestermere, City of Calgary, Cochrane, Foothills County, Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, High River, Okotoks, Rocky View County.

Organizer: Matt Wallace

Join the iNaturalist project: city-nature-challenge-2023-calgary-metropolitan-region

Edmonton Metropolitan Region

Organizer: Greg Pohl

Join the iNaturalist project: city-nature-challenge-2023-metro-edmonton-area

Red Deer Area: Lacombe County, Red Deer County.

Organizer: Anne Dempsey

Join the iNaturalist project: city-nature-challenge-2023-red-deer-area

Other Alberta Towns/ Cities are welcome to apply. Please contact Matt Wallace at CityNatureYYC@gmail.com to find out more information.