Are you interested in exploring the natural world while contributing to science? If so, consider joining the global community science movement, previously known as citizen science. This initiative emphasizes that science is for everyone, and you do not need formal scientific training to contribute to our knowledge of the natural world. Museum scientists, independent naturalists, and outside organizations have created numerous projects aimed at helping scientists gain a better understanding of our planet.
Curious about how you or your class can participate in community science projects? Or how to use the popular, free website and app iNaturalist? We have plenty of resources (in English and Spanish) to guide you!
Already experienced? Like to learn by doing? Check out any of the projects below and see what you can do!
Join the 2025 City Nature Challenge, April 25–28! Snap photos of wild plants and animals in San Diego County using iNaturalist and help us document biodiversity. Every observation counts!
The City Nature Challenge is a four-day, worldwide collaboration to get people to observe the natural world through photography. We are excited to coordinate San Diego's annual participation in partnership with SDSU Biodiversity Museu! We're using the free iNaturalist app and iNaturalist.org website to tally results for observations made in San Diego County. All wild plants and animals count, even non-native species. The City Nature Challenge will take place April 25–28, 2025.
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Mark your calendars for April 26 to engage with nature, learn from experts, and support local conservation efforts!
Join the Border BioBlitz at Rice Canyon to document biodiversity with experienced researchers.
Join the discovery! Explore one of San Diego County’s urban canyons–a host of biodiversity and wonder. This event offers the chance to observe and document wildlife alongside the Nat’s seasoned researchers and Canyoneers. The Border Bioblitz is a community science effort to record as many species as possible along the U.S.-Mexico Border. We will be using the iNaturalist platform to capture images of wildlife throughout the canyon. All experience levels are welcome!
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Take photos of reptiles and amphibians you spot in Southern California and Baja California and upload them to iNaturalist. Suggest an identification or have them identified by the iNaturalist community.
Take photos of wild plants you come across in San Diego County and upload them to the San Diego County Plant Atlas project on iNaturalist. Suggest an identification or have them identified by the iNaturalist community.
Help The Nat and regional scientists learn more about the charming and elusive California flying squirrel. Participants residing in the San Bernardino Mountains may be eligible to install a camera in their yard to capture images of this nocturnal creature.
San Diego County's bumblebees are threatened—but you can help. Take photos of bumblebees you see locally and upload them to the Bumblebees of San Diego County project on iNaturalist. Your observations will help museum scientists better understand these important insects.
We need your help documenting Imperial County plants. Take photos of wild plants you come across while in Imperial County and upload them to the Imperial County Plant project on iNaturalist. Suggest an identification or have them identified by the iNaturalist community.
San Diego is home to more than 150 canyons. These spaces provide important benefits for people, plants, and animals. In fact, our canyons are home to 85 rare, threatened, and endangered species. Find out how we're working with locals to health-check our canyons.
Monarch populations are in serious decline. In the west, they used to number in the millions—but recently, numbers have plummeted to tens of thousands, likely due to pesticide use, climate change, and loss of native milkweed habitat. Take photos of monarchs and milkweed to help scientists understand monarch butterflies and their host plants. Share your sightings of monarchs and milkweeds on the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper.
The Nat’s new Nature Trail is blooming to life! Help us track the growth of native plants and the abundance of pollinators as you explore the accessible 0.5-mile loop around our building.
Our research is binational. We need your help in the Baja California Peninsula, too.
Help improve knowledge of Baja California plants. Snap photos of wild plants when on the Baja California peninsula or its adjacent islands. Upload your photos to the Flora de Baja California iNaturalist project.
Spiders, scorpions, sun spiders, and more! If it has eight legs and you spot it in Baja California or Baja California Sur, then take a photo and post it to the Arachnids of Peninsular California iNaturalist project.
Friday, April 25-Monday, April 28, join us in this four-day international collaboration and help document nature across the globe. It's easy, all you have to do is use the iNaturalist app or website. It's an excellent way to tap into nearby nature. San Diego County is an incredibly biodiverse place, so finding lots of insects, plants, birds, and other wildlife should be a cinch. Plus, it helps science—a win-win. See the results from 2024.
How do you use iNaturalist? How do our scientists use your observations? We have resources you can use for any community science project , or you can learn more about participating in the Challenge specifically.
Help science and document change in the plants and animals found on the U.S. – Mexico border. The Border BioBlitz enters its seventh year as a binational effort to record the diversity of plants and animals found in our shared borderlands. Anyone can photograph wildlife (with a camera or a smartphone!) and upload them to the community science app (or website) iNaturalist throughout the month of May. This ongoing endeavor continues to help us learn more about the wildlife in our region and how they are changing over time. Join the discovery here.
View results and project summaries of past community science projects, including City Nature Challenges and Border BioBlitz. Learn more.
How are events like Border BioBlitz helping researchers? Find out in this story written by Dr. Sula Vanderplank. Disponible en español.