April is Earth Month, and it is a time to reflect upon and celebrate our planet – both for its beauty and for all it provides. It’s also a time to learn about and take action to protect it.
The Nature Conservancy, a Timbers community partner through the new Nature Unites kit, is leading the way in nature conservation, addressing climate change, and protecting biodiversity work – here in Oregon and far beyond. This month, we’re taking the opportunity to spotlight some of TNC’s ongoing work and priorities to help people and nature thrive together.
Get to Know City Nature Challenge
Curious about the nature around your home, work or school? Here is your chance to explore, learn and document the nature that’s around you every day, with the annual City Nature Challenge.
City Nature Challenge started in 2016 as a competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco, but has since grown into a four-day, international bio blitz every April, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities.
Nature is all around, and knowing what species live in your city helps scientists, land managers, and the community study and protect nature in local communities.
The Nature Conservancy’s Impact
Here’s a chance to become a community scientist. Capture observations of biodiversity in your community between April 26-29. Simply snap photos of plants, flowers, insects or wildlife, using your mobile device through the iNaturalist app.
The Nature Conservancy is leading a City Nature Challenge hike on Sunday at the Sandy River Gorge Preserve outside Troutdale, Ore., from 10am-1pm PT, to help collect and identify plants and wildlife.
To participate, it’s three easy steps:
- Find wildlife - it can be any plant, animal or insect in your city
- Take a picture - snap a photo of what you find, noting the location
- Share - upload your observation through iNaturalist
Here is a list of other cities in Oregon participating in this year’s City Nature Challenge:
Photo taken by Craig Mitchelldyer / Portland Timbers
