Mayor Siscoe Calls on Municipalities to Compete in the 2025 City Nature Challenge

St. Catharines residents are invited to take part in the 2025 City Nature Challenge, a global citizen science event returning from April 25 to 28. This year, St. Catharines is not just participating—we’re challenging other municipalities to join the effort and see which community can document the most wildlife using the iNaturalist Canada platform.

During the four-day event, participants will record as many species of animals and plants as possible within the city’s boundaries, contributing valuable data to support conservation efforts. After the observation period, from April 29 to May 4, participants and the iNaturalist community will help identify and verify species recorded during the challenge.

“The City Nature Challenge is an incredible opportunity for residents to get outside, explore nature, and contribute to a global effort to document biodiversity,” said Mayor Mat Siscoe. “This year, we’re issuing a challenge to other municipalities—let’s see which community can make the biggest impact. By joining together in this friendly competition, we can help grow Canada’s biodiversity database and support conservation efforts across the country.”

Using the free iNaturalist app or iNaturalist.ca, participants can upload photos or sound recordings of plants, animals, fungi, and other wildlife they observe. The challenge is open to everyone, from casual nature lovers to experienced naturalists, and every observation plays a role in understanding and protecting local ecosystems.

“Observations can include anything that provides evidence of life—plants, birds, insects, mushrooms, tracks, shells, even signs of wildlife such as fur or scat,” said Ilyse Norton, Community initiatives Specialist. “The more data we collect, the better we can understand and protect biodiversity in our region.”

Since its launch in 2016 as a friendly competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the CNC has expanded into a global initiative, engaging more than 440 cities worldwide, including St. Catharines. Last year, participants recorded millions of observations, helping to track biodiversity trends and support conservation efforts.

How to Participate

1. Download the free iNaturalist app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, or visit iNaturalist.ca.
2. Create an account and ensure you are using iNaturalist Canada (not iNaturalist.org) to contribute to Canada’s conservation efforts.
3. Start exploring! Take photos or record sounds of any wildlife you find between April 25 and 28 and upload them to iNaturalist.
4. Help identify species recorded in your city between April 29 and May 4 to improve the accuracy of the data.

The City Nature Challenge 2025 is an exciting way to connect with nature while making a real impact on conservation science. Whether you’re taking a walk in the park, exploring your backyard, or simply observing wildlife on your daily commute, every observation counts!

For more information, visit stcatharines.ca/CNC. Sign up at citynaturechallenge.ca or iNaturalist.ca.