The Boise Foothills are home to a rich variety of wildflowers and wildlife; however, our unique native treasures are being lost due to invasive weeds and habitat loss. While science has documented changes in Idaho ecosystems over time, more biodiversity data is needed to better understand our changing world. Community scientists can help by using iNaturalist – a website/app that allows participants to contribute observation of any organism with associated spatial data. iNaturalist’s data on hundreds of thousands of species helps us understand ways global changes are affecting individual species, and hopefully inform action for protections.
There are several upcoming opportunities to engage with iNaturalist.
- Participate in self-rewarding wildflower “Treasure Hunt” in partnership with Idaho Native Plant Society. Join the Native Plant Society to receive a monthly bingo card of native plants to find while recreating.
- Take iNaturalist with you on your next hike/bike adventure. Make some observations and watch your profile grow.
- Snap at pic at one of the City's three Chronolog sites to help land managers evaluate landscape changes over time.
