what is iNatualist
iNaturalist is a free platform—both a website and app—to record observations of plants and animals in nature using photographs; share what you’ve found; and contribute to a global dataset of biodiversity information used for both science and conservation.
iNaturalist is an online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature
our primary goal in operating iNaturalist is to connect people to nature,
It’s also a crowdsourced species identification system and an organism occurrence recording tool. You can use it to record your own observations, get help with identifications, collaborate with others to collect this kind of information for a common purpose, or access the observational data collected by iNaturalist users.
https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/help#general1
Why use iNaturalist
- it’s Fun 🙂
- it will help identify things you don’t know the name for
- you can learn more about the things you see
- adding records makes you a Citizen Scientist
- Records are available to local projects like the BS postcode groups
- records are shared with Bristol environmental Records Centre
- records are shared with the National Nature Atlas
How to use iNatualist
the iNaturalist site has lots of guidance
a getting started guide https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting%252Bstarted
and great video tutorials https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/video%252Btutorials
Join a local Group – Bristol’s postcode Based Wildlife Groups
to add records to a local group, just record as normal and the records will automatically appear in the group’s project unless you’ve set them to hidden ( for example if you’re recording a protected species like a great crested newt)
City Nature Challenge Friday 28 April – Monday 1 May 2023
Get involved in local activities for City Nature Challenge
It’s less than one month to go until City Nature Challenge! Are you joining the mission to record as much wildlife as possible over four days in your local area?
City Nature Challenge 2023 takes place Friday 28 April – Monday 1 May and we’ve put together an exciting programme of free family-friendly nature events in beautiful outdoor locations across the West of England.
The Festival of Nature team are coming together with organisations and community groups across the region to support City Nature Challenge activity in Bristol city-centre, Bath city-centre, Stoke Park Estate, Grow Wilder, Somer Valley, Wild Place Project, Tyntesfield, Frampton Cotterell, Westonbirt Arboretum, Badock’s Wood, Avon Gorge & Downs, and Manor Woods Valley.
From expert-led wildlife walks on butterflies, bees, birds and trees, to bug hunting and pond dipping activities for all ages, there’s something free for everyone to get involved in during the challenge.
Check out the programme of events taking place across Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, and start planning your nature-filled bank holiday weekend!
Wildlife Recording how can I get involved
if you’d like to find out about other wildlife recording opportunities then take a look at our list of projects
https://greaterbrislington.org/2022/03/bristol-wildlife-recording-list/
or find out about Bristol’s Postcode Based Wildlife groups and iNaturalist projects
https://greaterbrislington.org/bristols-postcode-based-wildlife-and-hedgehog-groups/
