Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2026 City Nature Challenge! This 4-day, worldwide collaboration to get people observing the natural world through photography, was a huge success! On behalf of The Nat, the SDSU Biodiversity Museum, and the UC San Diego Natural Reserve System, we share our gratitude to everyone who made observations, helped with identifications, hosted bioblitz events, and attended community iNaturalist gatherings.
Together this year, we achieved:
You can check out the global results here. This is a huge accomplishment for San Diego County, and we hope you will join us next year from April 23-25, 2027, for another round of observing, identifying, and contributing to our understanding of biodiversity together!
This year, City Nature Challenge overlaps with the 2026 Border BioBlitz/BioBlitz de la Frontera. The Border BioBlitz is a community science effort to record as many species as possible along the U.S.-Mexico border and is made possible thanks to partnerships with Botanical Community Development Initiatives, Next Generation Sonoran Desert Researchers, and community members like you!
To join the discovery, all you need is a smartphone with the iNaturalist app (free for Android and iOS) and to join the project. You can make observations on your own, or join a community Border BioBlitz event! By joining the project during the City Nature Challenge, you can ensure that your observations count for both!
Want to stay involved past this event? Learn more about The Nat’s ongoing community science projects.