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We are very excited to be just about two weeks away from this year’s global City Nature Challenge (April 30-May 3, 2021)!

Don’t let the title fool you. Yes, we absolutely want to observe and record species in our wonderful cities – like Houston and Galveston – but you can do this even in much of the countryside and seascapes surrounding our cities – we are all in this together (see the map below to see what counts in the Houston-Galveston region)!

This year, the Houston-Galveston City Nature Challenge Team (if you make observations in our region during CNC, you are on the team!) will join over 200+ Global Cities to observe, record, and identify the wildlife, plants life, and other living organisms of their regions using the amazing, free iNaturalist app. We will also be competing against other Texas regional teams, including the tough, talented team from Dallas-Fort Worth. This is real community science in action. The observations we make using the iNaturalist app can be used by scientists to track wildlife and plant populations and even plan habitat restorations that will benefit both them and humans.

Last year, even during the pandemic, our regional team set new records (see attached card). Lastly, we want you, your students, and your staff to be absolutely Covid Safe. Click here for some helpful hints on staying safe. Also, make sure to adhere to your local social distancing/masking guidelines and recommendations.

Below, please find resources to help you learn more about and engage your students with the City Nature Challenge and the iNaturalist app, and to create your own campus or neighborhood iNaturalist project that you can use during the City Nature Challenge and beyond! If you have any questions, need any resources, or want to share events or activities, please do not fail to contact me, Suzanne Simpson with Bayou Land Conservancy, or Nicole Temple from the Houston Museum of Natural Science – your regional co-coordinators ☺ 

• About City Nature Challenge and the iNaturalist app
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • How to participate in City Nature Challenge
  • Introductory Video for 2021 City Nature Challenge Video
  • Video Tutorials on using iNaturalist
• How-To Videos
  • How to make a school or park iNaturalist project for City Nature Challenge and beyond
  • How to make an iNaturalist neighborhood project
  • Local video for Houston-Galveston Region Educators 
  • Tips for finding wildlife safely during the City Nature Challenge
  • Making good observations in iNaturalist
• Map of the Houston-Galveston Region’s City Nature Challenge Footprint
  • Map
• Toolkits
  • National Educators’ Toolkit
• Websites
  • Houston-Galveston City Nature Challenge Team Page of Facebook
  • Texas City Nature Challenge Page
  • Houston-Galveston City Nature Challenge Team iNaturalist Page (where you will see observations)

Jaime Gonzalez, The Nature Conservancy – Houston Office 

nature.org/texas