Community Science Hike

On this self-guided hike, you will learn:

• How to use the free iNaturalist app.
• How to take quality scientific photos with a cell phone.
• and How you can take part in a Community Science project.

Anyone can be a Community Scientist!

Prepare:

• Download the free iNaturalist app on your smart phone.
• Set up a free account.�(Note: you must be 13 years old to have an iNaturalist account.)

Make your first observation:

1. Find a wild plant, animal, or fungi.
2. Open the iNaturalist app. Choose the “Observe” button.
3. Take up to 4 photos of your organism.
4. Make an identification when you select, “What did you see?”
5. Check the date and location are accurate.�(These should be automatically entered if you allow the app to use your location).
6. Upload to the scientific database by choosing, “Share.”

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What if I don’t know what it is?

iNaturalist uses artificial intelligence to scan your photos and make some suggestions. You can always label your observation with a broader identification you do know, such as “plant,” if you are unsure of the species.

What Can You Observe?�Any wild, living organism, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, plants, fungi, and even slime molds!

Photos from Wildreturn on Flickr Creative Commons

Photo from Joshua Mayer on Flickr Creative Commons

You can also make observations of the tell-tale signs animals leave behind, such as tracks, scat, feathers, nests, and webs, when that sign is indicative of one particular species.

white-tailed deer

American beaver

yellow-bellied sapsucker

raccoon

Photo from Marcus Jeffrey on Flickr Creative Commons

Photo from Julie Falk on Flickr Creative Commons

Photo from Kirill Ignatyev on Flickr Creative Commons

Ready to try for yourself?

We challenge you to a Scavenger Hunt!

How to take quality scientific photos with a cell phone:

Get close to your subject

Make sure your subject is in focus

Photograph all parts and from different angles

Give a sense of scale

Join the City Nature Challenge!

The City Nature Challenge is a census, or “bioblitz,” of plants and animals in urban landscapes around the world, completed by Community Scientists using iNaturalist. Anyone can participate!

April 25-28, 2025

How Does the City Nature Challenge Help Scientists?

• Track the spread of invasive species.
• Monitor the recovery of rare or threatened species.
• Understand the effects of climate change.

and more!

Photo from U.S. Fish and Wildlife on Flickr Creative Commons

Guidelines for Participation:

• Collect your observations in the field between Friday, April 25 and Monday, April 28..
• You may collect observations anywhere in Frederick County.
• Each observation must include a location and photo (or audio recording).
• Record your observations through iNaturalist.
• Please remember to treat wildlife and landscapes with respect.

But I’m just one person…

Alone, our observations might not mean much. But when hundreds of us join together, we create a snapshot of our landscape in this moment in time.

Will you join us?

>Visit MobilizeFrederick.org

>Visit CityNatureChallengeDC.org