Ranger Nikki will host a drop-in information table to get you on your way to becoming a Citizen Scientist using the free iNaturalist app* that identifies and documents nature photos that you take with your phone. Learn about flowers, trees, birds, bugs and even fungi around you while creating a log of all the cool nature specimens you’ve seen on your adventures, along with their locations and dates seen. At the same time, you will create an online biodiversity record for the scientific community to use in studying populations, occurrence ranges, seasonal changes and more! Wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and sunscreen if you are hiking afterwards and bring plenty of water. Please bring your own water as none is available at the Park. Portable restrooms are available at the main trailhead.
* Create a SciStarter account first. Due to limited connectivity in parks, it is advised to download the iNaturalist app while on wi-fi before arriving at the park. Download the INaturalist app and create an INaturalist account using the same email address. Then add your INaturalist username to your SciStarter account in “Info & Settings” where noted. Then, your participation in INaturalist projects and events, including the Phoenix Area City Nature Challenge, will count towards SciStarter’s collective goal of One Million Acts of Science this April!
Once you’re comfortable using the app, we invite you to return as a park citizen scientist on April 26-29 for the City Nature Challenge, an international effort that encourages all citizens to find and document plants and wildlife on iNaturalist in cities across the globe. This bioblitz-style competition challenges local communities to make the most observations in nature during this 4-day period, and then this data is available for science, management, and conservation. So this April 26-29, connect with your open spaces, your community, and other global naturalist using only your phone or camera to record nature wherever you go! For more info, check out https://greaterphoenixcnc.com/