The City Nature Challenge
Join Team Frederick and document nature all around us!
Friday April 25 – Monday April 28
Now in its tenth year, the City Nature Challenge is an international community science event, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife. For the first time, Frederick county residents will join the Washington DC Metro Area team to participate in this bioblitz-style competition where cities and regions are in a friendly contest with each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people.
During the Challenge, the Frederick community will observe and identify as many species of wild animals, plants, and fungi as we can in the county—in local parks, neighborhoods, school grounds, front stoops, back yards, and more. Data collected during the City Nature Challenge will provide valuable information to scientists on wildlife and global biodiversity.
Sign up on iNaturalist and JOIN the City Nature Challenge: Washington DC Metro Area 2025.
For more information, or to join the Planning Committee, click here to email us.
Join the Project Now
Sign up on iNaturalist, then select this project.
Special Events
April 2 — Kickoff Event: Bees, Biodiversity, and Bioblitzes with Sam Droege, USGS biologist and pioneer of the bioblitz
6 pm at Bernard W. Brown Community Center
629 North Market Street Frederick, MD
Free parking available on the street and in the Whitesell Pharmacy and CareNet lots (see map)
Join us for refreshments and learn how you can support conservation efforts by putting our local biodiversity on the map during the City Nature Challenge.
April 8 — iNaturalist webinar @ 7–8:30 pm
Join the leaders of the DC Metro Area team for a virtual, informative webinar on how to use iNaturalist and tips for participating in the City Nature Challenge. To register click here.
April 25–28 — City Nature Challenge
Find an event or observe on your own anytime during this time period. Check our Events page.
April 29–May 4 — Identify observations for the City Nature Challenge. Contact our team for more information.
May 13 — Jim Brighton of the Maryland Biodiversity Project and special guests share Frederick County’s observations and their significance.
Our post-event results will be featured at the Thorpewood Nature on Tap series @ 6 pm at RAK Brewery in Frederick.
Watch the Short Video
Learn more at the links below
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DISCOVERIES
What We Observed
What’s Next?