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.
- Attend the “Intro to iNaturalist and the City Nature Challenge Workshop” on April 17th from 5:30 – 7:00 pm at the Foothills Learning Center. No registration required. Participants are encouraged to download iNaturalist and set up an account prior to attending. Questions can be sent to kgnojewski@cityofboise.org
- Join the City Nature Challenge. Make observations from April 26th-April 29th help Ada County compete against 500 communities globally.
- 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.
