Neighborhood Naturalists

What's living in your neighborhood?

• Are you curious about the plants and animals living around you?
• Would you like to help improve the health of our wild urban spaces?
• Looking for a great way to spend time outside with family and friends?

Neighborhood Naturalists invites citizen scientists—people like you—to discover and explore nearby nature. Your participation will help guide local research and restoration efforts.

Explore with Us

More about Neighborhood Naturalists 

What is a BioBlitz?

A BioBlitz is an event where citizen scientists, scientists, land managers, museum staff, and more work together to find, identify, and photograph as many different species as possible. Sometimes a BioBlitz is an in-person event, other times, it may be an open event for you to explore on your own.

Who can participate in Neighborhood Naturalist programs and events?

Anyone! If you're curious about the natural world, enjoy walking along trails, and like turning over leaves and stones, this program is for you. Kids are welcome. All events are free and open to the public.

Do I need scientific knowledge or experience to participate?

Nope, although we welcome experts to join us. Just bring your mobile device and your powers of observation. We use the iNaturalist app to document the plants and animals we find. To get started, explore our webpage all about iNaturalist: NHMU iNaturalist 101

What do I need to bring?

Whether you are exploring your own backyard, on a hike, or joining in an in-person NHMU event, here's what we recommend:

• Camera: If you plan to take photographs using your phone or tablet, bring your mobile device with the iNaturalist app downloaded and account set-up. If you prefer to use a different camera, you can use this to photograph need help getting set up, and then add your photos to iNaturalist from a computer when you get home (you will need to set up a free online iNaturalist account to do this).
• Long pants, closed-toe shoes, a water bottle, and sunscreen will help keep you safe and comfortable. You may want a daypack, jacket, or hat. Feel free to also bring your favorite field guide on plants, birds, insects, etc.

What does the term "citizen scientist" mean?

A citizen scientist is a person taking part in science-related activities that advance scientific knowledge or community action (National Academy of Sciences 2018). You might also hear the term community scientist used to describe this work.

What data have you already collected?

View our Citizen science-collected data from Neighborhood Naturalist events on iNaturalist over the years to see what and where we have observed so far.