City Nature Challenge 2026
Join the Greater Phoenix community for the 2026 City Nature Challenge, a global citizen science event that invites anyone—regardless of scientific training—to document local wildlife and contribute to real scientific research.
During this four-day event, participants across the Phoenix Metro area will record observations of plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms using the iNaturalist app. Cities around the world compete in a fun, friendly challenge to see who can document the most observations and species. The data collected help scientists study biodiversity and better understand our natural world!
How to Participate
- Download the iNaturalist app and create an account.
- Join the Greater Phoenix CNC Project.
- Start observing wildlife anywhere in the Greater Phoenix area between April 24–27.
Whether you’re hiking, birding, botanizing, or simply exploring your neighborhood, your observations count.
Double Your Impact
April is Citizen Science Month. Participants are encouraged to connect their iNaturalist account to SciStarter to earn credit, explore additional projects, and help measure the collective impact of citizen science. By linking accounts, all your observations automatically count toward broader citizen science goal
Download the Flyer Below for more information!