Discovering the Natural Beauty of Our Region through the City Nature Challenge

The claret cup cactus, with its vibrant red blooms, has stolen the show as the most photographed wild species in our region's first-ever participation in the City Nature Challenge. This global community science initiative, which took place over four days in late April, saw 181 people making a total of 2,821 observations of 776 different species in our neighborhoods, communities, and local public lands.

A Global Bioblitz

The City Nature Challenge, which began in California in 2016 as a friendly competition between San Francisco and Los Angeles, has grown into a global event with nearly 103,000 participants from 62 countries. This year, participants made over 3.31 million observations of nearly 74,000 species, including 3,338 rare, threatened, or endangered species. Grand Junction ecologist Richard Alward, who organized our region's participation, describes the event as a "global bioblitz" that provides a snapshot of the state of our natural world.

Rare Species Spotted

Our region's participants were thrilled to observe several rare species, including the Dawson's hookless cactus, which is found only between Grand Junction and De Beque and is federally listed as a threatened species. Other notable observations included the first-ever iNaturalist observation of a northern broad-winged hawk in Colorado, in Rio Blanco County, and the second iNaturalist observation of a cliff chipmunk in western Colorado, in Moffat County.

Community Engagement

Alward, who first participated in the City Nature Challenge while serving in the Peace Corps in Eswatini, southern Africa, was excited to bring the event to our region. He created a region that included the whole Western Slope, giving as many people as possible the chance to participate. "I'm really excited that we had over 170 participating," he said. Alward plans to organize another local event next year and hopes to expand participation, coordinating with local organizations and increasing involvement by students, educators, and families.

A Snapshot of Our Region

The observations recorded during the event provide a valuable snapshot of our region's natural world. Most of the species observed were plants, birds, or insects, but participants also took photos of fungi, mammals, arachnids, reptiles, and amphibians. In Mesa County, 70 participants made 1,219 observations involving 370 species. One participant managed to observe an impressive 264 species over the four days, showcasing the incredible biodiversity of our region.

Getting People Outside

Alward believes that one of the most significant benefits of the City Nature Challenge is that it gets people outside and aware of the wildlife around them. "There's an incredible amount of stuff really close by," he said. He was pleased to see a large number of people making only a few observations each, as it indicates that people are becoming more aware of their surroundings and taking an interest in the natural world.

Conservation Efforts

The data collected during the City Nature Challenge is essential for the fight against biodiversity loss and to help protect species. Lila Higgins, co-founder of the City Nature Challenge and senior manager of community science for the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, emphasized the importance of this data in a news release. As our region continues to participate in this global event, we can expect to gain a deeper understanding of our natural world and the efforts needed to conserve it.

Looking to the Future

As we look to the future, it's clear that the City Nature Challenge will continue to play an important role in promoting community engagement and conservation efforts in our region. With plans to expand participation and involve more local organizations, students, educators, and families, we can expect to see even more exciting discoveries and a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty of our region.