This weekend marks a significant milestone in the realm of biodiversity awareness — the 10th anniversary of the City Nature Challenge, a crowdsourced initiative that invites individuals to immerse themselves in their local ecosystems and document their findings using a smartphone and apps like iNaturalist.
Originally launched in 2016 as a friendly competition between San Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, the challenge started as a small-scale event focused on local flora and fauna. Each institution organized a weekend event to collect observations, with the aim of bragging rights for the most participants and recorded observations. In its inaugural year, LA emerged victorious, all in good spirit and with minimal rivalry.
“There was some trash talking, but it was all good-natured,” recalled Rebecca Johnson, director of the Center for Biodiversity and Community Science at the Cal Academy.
As word spread about the engaging competition, other cities became eager to join. Fast forward to today, and the City Nature Challenge has transformed into a global phenomenon, encompassing more than 600 cities across over 50 countries, representing one of the largest citizen-science initiatives to gather biodiversity data annually.
As the climate crisis escalates and environmental data becomes sparse, the necessity for accurate tracking of plant and animal populations has never been more crucial. This city-centric gathering of data sheds light on urban biodiversity trends and underscores how different neighborhoods rebound amidst varying challenges.
In San Francisco, for example, while downtown may languish, the city’s outlying green spaces flourish, illustrating the complex interplay of recovery and resilience in urban ecosystems.
Over the years, survey participants have documented remarkable species, such as the western saltmarsh woodlouse found in India Basin, the ornate tiger moth in Glen Canyon Park, and the variable checkerspot butterfly across sites including the Presidio and Twin Peaks. “Almost every year, people find endangered, threatened species in cities, and someone will find a new-to-science species,” Johnson noted.
The greatest takeaway from this annual challenge is the enhanced understanding of biodiversity shifts within urban settings. For instance, the 2023 storms that brought destructive winds and rain also inadvertently benefited certain bird species like the spotted towhee and dark-eyed Junco. These ground-nesting birds thrive in denser understory environments — a result of many trees falling during those storms, creating ample habitat for their insect prey and boosting local pollinator populations.
The ongoing restoration of the Presidio is yet another boon for urban biodiversity, contributing to the resurgence of species such as the coyote and great horned owl. Freshwater springs surfacing beneath the iconic serpentinite of California provide ideal conditions for marshland plants and species, including the Sierran chorus frog and forktail damselfly, to thrive once again.
The timing of the City Nature Challenge aligns perfectly with the blooming of wildflowers across San Francisco. Spectacular displays can be seen in various locations, including Hilltop Park, Twin Peaks, McLaren Park, and Golden Gate Park, which are blooming with vibrant colors from flowers such as forget-me-nots, Douglas iris, and California poppies.
Even on surfaces like benches carved from logs, one might encounter the vibrant common sunburst lichen, showcasing the array of life that thrives in urban environments.
Globally, the most commonly observed species during the challenge include the adaptable mallard duck and the ubiquitous honey bee, indicative of how these species have adjusted to urban life. In San Francisco, locals frequently spot the California poppy, California’s state flower, along with western blue-eyed grass and western bush monkeyflower.
The City Nature Challenge is set to result in more than 7 million observations, making it the largest event on iNaturalist to date. Beyond sheer numbers, the significance lies in its ability to inspire individuals worldwide to step outside, engage with nature, and share their discoveries. “It’s so cool that people all over the world are getting out where they live, noticing nature, taking pictures, and sharing,” Johnson remarked, emphasizing the challenge’s role in fostering connection amid global uncertainties.
This challenge stands as an early season rivalry between LA and SF, albeit in a completely different arena — one of environmental consciousness rather than sports. The competition runs until 11:59 PM on Monday, with results set to be unveiled on May 21.
While the tallying of data may not resemble a conventional box score, it encapsulates an essential narrative: one of resilience and persistence amidst a backdrop of complex societal challenges.
As the saying goes, nature ultimately prevails, and through the collective effort of urban participants, it remains the undeniable champion of this endeavor.
image source from：https://thefrisc.com/like-steph-and-lebron-this-natural-sf-la-rivalry-has-gone-global/
