Have you ever paused on a walk and wondered about the tiny world buzzing around you? The Garden Route is teeming with fascinating plant and animal species, and the 2026 Garden Route City Nature Challenge (CNC) is your chance to spot, document, and share them with the world + while contributing to global science.
What is the City Nature Challenge?
The City Nature Challenge is a global, community-driven biodiversity census that began in 2016 as a friendly competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Today, it’s the largest annual biodiversity recording event in the world, engaging hundreds of thousands of people across dozens of countries to observe, photograph, and record wild species in their cities and surrounding areas.
Participants upload their observations to iNaturalist, a platform where nature enthusiasts and experts work together to identify species. These contributions create a global snapshot of biodiversity, helping scientists, land managers, and conservation planners better understand the natural world. Over the last ten years, the CNC has involved more than 364,000 people and resulted in over 12.9 million biodiversity observations, covering around 5% of all species known on Earth. Now is your chance to be a part of that!
When and How to Participate
The 2026 Garden Route City Nature Challenge will run from 24–27 April for the observation phase. During these four days, participants head outdoors to record wild species in their local area. From 28 April to 10 May, there’s an opportunity to upload all your observations to iNaturalist and help identify species. Results will be announced on 13 May, highlighting the amazing biodiversity documented across the region.
Participation is simple:
- Create a free iNaturalist account (for anyone 13 years and older – parents can help your children upload their observations on your account).
- Choose your exploration spot: parks, trails, your backyard (for goggos and other wild observations only), or coastal areas.
- Observe and document wild species: Each observation requires a clear photo, date, and a location (so remember where you took your photo / activate your photo setting / upload your observation while you are there). Avoid people, pets, or plants you planted in your garden – the focus is on wild organisms.
- Upload your observations to iNaturalist. If unsure what species you’ve spotted, upload anyway – experts and AI tools can help with identification.
Tips for good observations
- Take clear, focused photos that showcase key features
- Photograph your observations from multiple angles (whole plant, leaves, fruit, flowers, top of the goggo, the face, etc) – if you only manage to get one photos, don’t stress, you can still upload it!
- Look out for night-time activity like moths, frogs, and spiders.
- Position the sun behind you for good lighting.
Why the CNC Matters
The Garden Route CNC isn’t just a fun outdoor activity, it’s a vital contribution to science and conservation. By participating, you:
- Help scientists and conservationists track species, identify rare or overlooked organisms, and inform environmental management.
- Build community connections, as everyone, from beginners to experts, works together to explore local nature.
- Increase awareness of biodiversity, inspiring people to protect the ecosystems they live in.
- Contribute globally, as all data feed into iNaturalist and the broader CNC effort, helping create one of the largest collaborative biodiversity datasets in the world.
What You Can Observe
Anything wild counts! From amphibians, birds, and insects to fungi, plants, and marine organisms (including shells), your observations can make a difference. Even dead organisms have scientific value.
Remember: one species per observation, with multiple photos allowed to show identifying features. If you’re recording sounds, clarity is key for identification.
Ethical observation is crucial, respect wildlife, leave habitats undisturbed, and follow safety guidelines. The age-old motto still applies: “Leave only footprints, take only photos.”
- No pets – although we love them, this is not the place
- No people –we also love our people, but we are looking for naturally occurring plant and animal species
- No planted plants – let’s keep it wild and natural
Join the Global Movement
The CNC is more than data collection; it’s about connecting with nature and each other. With goals like fighting biodiversity loss, building community, and making science fun, the challenge transforms ordinary nature walks into meaningful citizen science.
So grab your camera or smartphone, step outside, and see what wonders you can discover in the Garden Route this April. Whether you’re exploring your backyard or a local reserve, every observation counts, and every discovery adds to the global picture of life on Earth.
More Information & Resources:
- iNaturalist
- City Nature Challenge
- Garden Route iNaturalist Facebook Page
- WhatsApp Channel: Garden Route iNaturalist
- Email: grd.cnc@gmail.com