Diario del proyecto Boulder County Wildlife

During winter's long nights, our nocturnal residents are harder than ever to spot. But they leave tell-tale footprints behind in the mud and snow! This month, keep your eyes open for the subtle signs of your strangers in the night, and post them on our iNaturalist project! Even if you can't identify the tracks yourself, someone in the iNaturalist community will be able to help. Consider adding something to your photo for scale - your hand, a coin, a pen - and describe the habitat where you found the track. The morning after a fresh snow fall is the best time to go for a hike, since the tracks are fresh and clean. You will be amazed to see how much activity has occurred!

From April 26 – May 5, 2019, Boulder County and the Denver Metro Area are teaming up to compete in this year’s City Nature Challenge (CNC)! Last year, Boulder competed independently and came up with a whopping 3,478 total observations, 784 identified plant and wildlife species, and had 107 observers. This year, Boulder County and the Denver Metro Area are joining forces to show the world just how biodiverse our region is, and we need YOU to help!

There is nature all around us, even in our cities. Knowing what species are here and where they are helps us study and protect them, but the ONLY way to effectively do that is by working together (scientists, land managers, community members, you name it) to find and document nature in our area. By participating in the CNC, not only do you learn more about local nature, but you can also make our urban areas a better place – for you and our wild neighbors!

The competition will take place in two phases: the first four days, April 26 – 29, are the bioblitz. We need you all to get out and document as many plant and wildlife observations via iNaturalist as possible. During the last six days, April 30 – May 5, participants can upload their observations taken during the bioblitz, and help identify and verify observations. The Boulder-Denver Metropolitan Area City Nature Challenge encompasses Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson, and Park Counties.

To receive updates, join the iNaturalist project. Since the project is set up as a bioblitz, all you need to do is upload your observations taken during the April 26 – 29 timeframe by May 5^th at 11:59pm and they’ll automatically be counted. If you observe any species of wildlife throughout Boulder County, remember to continue adding to the Boulder County Wildlife Project, too!

We have some awesome prizes available to participants this year, ranging from REI’s Flash 18 Print Backpacks, Lily’s Sweets chocolate bars, Earthhero’s Zero Waste gift boxes, nature photography coffee table books, and more. Make sure you set aside some time to get outside!

For more information about the Boulder-Denver CNC and to learn about events in the area, check out this page and follow us on Facebook. Questions? Contact Melanie Hill at the WILD Foundation, melanie@wild.org.