Where is nature? Is it only found far away in national parks or on hiking trails? Nature is all around us. Wherever there are living things, there is nature nearby, even in a city with lots of people. There’s nature everywhere we look if we know how to look! Learn more about the nearby nature that exists right off our steps in our yards and playgrounds as well as the streets and sidewalks of our cities and towns.
 | Virtual Field Trip of Our BackyardExplore and play in Our Backyard! All animals have different structures that help them survive in different habitats. Join Museum educators to learn about the incredible adaptations of some animals found in Utah, including leopard geckos and tarantulas. |
 | City Nature Challenge 2021: The WasatchHelp record nearby nature in the Wasatch (Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Salt Lake, Summit, Utah, Wasatch, and Weber Counties) during this annual international effort encouraging people to find and photograph plants and wildlife in cities around the globe using iNaturalist. Check out the City Nature Challenge Education Toolkit here, and join us from April 30-May 3 to help tell the story of biodiversity in Utah. It’s as easy as taking a photo! |
Activities
Humans and Nature
Use this activity to explore how humans can help maintain and improve local habitats.
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Seek
Dive into this app to discover your nearby nature and contribute to research projects.
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Q&A with Biologist Jonny Gonzalez
 | Jonny Gonzalez is a scientist and educator with Youth Teaching Youth at the Natural History Museum of Utah, a program that empowers middle and high school students to think like scientists. He studies nature and makes it understandable for others. He loves working with insects and getting others to love them too. |
 | What is a tarantula hawk? What is the biggest insect in the world? How do you tell different lady bugs apart? Join Jonny as he shares his bug collection! |
 | What is an insect? What's the difference between a bee and a wasp? What does the structure of an insect eye look like? Jonny's answers to student questions may surprise you! |
 | Why are insects everywhere in the world? How have insects impacted human history? Why were insects bigger in the past and smaller today? Jonny delves into the big impacts of insects in the world! |