City Nature Challenge logoCity Nature Challenge 2024

Friday, April 26–
Monday, April 29, 2024

2024 City Nature Challenge is almost here!

The Greater St. Louis Region* is gearing up to compete in the 7th annual City Nature Challenge and we need your participation! The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is a four-day bioblitz-style competition between 350+ cities across the globe to gather observations of nature. Organized by the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, the CNC offers a platform for people to engage in community science by finding and documenting local wildlife. Cities will compete to collect the most observations of nature, document the most species, and engage the most people during the four-day event. Use this Nearby Nature Map to find a participating City Nature Challenge Site near you! Be sure to follow each site's safety policies and procedures. If you can't get out to one of our region's unique nature sites, you can still participate in your backyard! Let's do this, St. Louis!

Participation is easy:

  • Download the FREE iNaturalist app. Find instructions for downloading the app on the iNaturalist website or go directly to the app store.
  • Take photos of plants, animals, insects, and other life forms. You can do this anywhere across the bi-state* region.
  • Upload your images on the greater St. Louis region's iNaturalist page.

* Counties representing the greater St. Louis region in the 2023 City Nature Challenge: Missouri - Crawford, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Francois, St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Warren; Illinois – Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Monroe, St. Clair.

Find a nearby nature site to explore using this map!

Stay connected by following our St. Louis City Nature Challenge Facebook page and the 2024 Facebook Event page.

For more information visit: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/city-nature-challenge/

Special City Nature Challenge Local Events

Deer Creek
Join us at Marshall Avenue Trailhead in Webster Groves for a live identification session to collect, document, and identify macroinvertebrates.

Shaw Nature Reserve
Explore the diverse habitats of Shaw Nature Reserve during the City Nature Challenge. Meet Nature Reserve team members to learn how to add your observations to iNaturalist and then set-off to find diverse plants and animals! After checking in at the Visitor Center, you can meet staff member or volunteer in these locations:

  • Friday, April 26, 10 a.m.–noon: Glassberg Pavilions
  • Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.–noon: Trail House
  • Monday, April 29, 10 a.m.–noon: Wetland Trailhead

Included in regular admission. Free for Missouri Botanical Garden Members and children 12 and under or $5 for adult non-members.

 

The 2024 St. Louis City Nature Challenge is supported by Missouri Department of Conservation.
Missouri Department of Conservation logo