Diario del proyecto City Nature Challenge 2019: Western NC

Hello All!

Thank you for helping represent Team WNC in the City Nature Challenge! We have several events lined up for those who would like to participate, though participating on your own is also greatly encouraged. For more details on events please follow this link: https://www.ncarboretum.org/event/city-nature-challenge-wnc/?fbclid=IwAR29MkhQqOrMU6aAZVugyFJT-ZG_lETtIUh4X8XvpMh1Ye0miBfnNF8pmkU

We're hoping to have a strong showing for this, the first year our region is participating. There will be prizes awarded for the top adult, youth and youth group that contributes the most identified species. As a reminder, observations must be made between Friday, April 25 and Monday, April 29. They must all be uploaded by May 5, but we'd love to see what you are observing in real time! We can also use some help in identifying the organisms uploaded, which can also occur up to May 5.

Thank you in advance for your efforts! Please encourage others to join in!

Jonathan

We're so excited to add Western North Carolina to the City Nature Challenge for our inaugural year! We join other NC regions including Greater Charlotte and the Triangle. Help us represent the our wonderland of biodiversity- not to mention the salamander capital of the world! You can track how we stack up against these other regions by joining the North Carolina City Nature Challenge: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/north-carolina-city-nature-challenge-2019

As a reminder, any observations made from midnight tonight through Monday within Western North Carolina will be counted. And, to sweeten the pot, we have some great prizes for our participants (I plan to upload a ton of observations but I'm not eligible for the prizes!).

First Place Species Count: You'll receive a pair of Vortex binoculars, a collection of field guides, a red-light flashlight (all courtesy of the Compleat Naturalist Nature Shop), National Parks of the US puzzle and NC Arboretum hat (courtesy of the Connections Gallery at the NC Arboretum), and a $100 gift card from Frugal Backpacker! In addition, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences has thrown in a set of smartphone camera lenses and a smartphone binocular adapter.

Second Place Species Count: a $100 gift card from Frugal Backpacker and a $50 gift card from REI, and a set of smartphone camera lenses and a smartphone binocular adapter.

Top Overall Observations: a $100 gift card from Frugal Backpacker, a $25 gift card from REI, and a set of smartphone camera lenses and a smartphone binocular adapter.

Second Place Overall Observations: a $100 gift card from REI.

Know a child ages 5-13 who wants to participate? If they sign up for ecoEXPLORE, a citizen science initiative of the NC Arboretum that links youth to iNaturalist, they can participate by uploading observations to www.ecoexplore.net. More prizes are available for these participants as well!

Happy BioBlitzing!

Jonathan Marchal,
Western NC City Nature Challenge Leader,
Youth Education Manager at The North Carolina Arboretum