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🌿 Asia / Europe / Americas / Africa / Oceania · Multiple

City Nature Challenge

TAKE PART in a four-day wildlife photo challenge: photograph wild plants and animals in your city and upload them.

Team entry
30 Apr–3 May 2027Next date
None listedNext deadline / key date
April-MayUsual timing
Participating cities worldwideWhere
01 · How to take part

Your way in

Find your city on the participating list when it is posted (early 2027), then add your own observations on the app your city uses.

Team entry

Take part in your city's challenge

Photograph or record wild plants, animals and fungi in your city during the four observation days, then upload them to the platform your city uses and help identify what was found.

You build or use
TAKE PART in a four-day wildlife photo challenge: photograph wild plants and animals in your city and upload them
Participation
Team entry (join a challenge)
Entry and deadlines
Free and open to anyone; each city is led by local organisers; the participating-city list is not posted yet
Where
Participating cities worldwide (list posted early 2027), Multiple
02 · Dates

Dates and deadlines, Jan 2026 to Dec 2027

Usual timing: April-May. Dates are only shown where a source publishes them; everything else is marked TBC.

  • 30 Apr–3 May 2027City Nature Challenge 2027: observation daysOrganisers: 30 Apr-3 May 2027. · sourceTeam entry
  • 4–16 May 2027City Nature Challenge 2027: identification daysOrganisers: 4-16 May 2027. · sourceTeam entry
  • 20 May 2027City Nature Challenge 2027: results announcedOrganisers: results announcement 20 May 2027. · sourceTeam entry

See it on the calendar →

03 · Skills you'll need

Skills you'll need

What to learn and practise before you go. Each resource is marked Official or Community-accepted and names its publisher. Difficulty and prep time are our estimate.

Core skill

Photographing or recording wild plants, animals and fungi

Also useful:

  • Noting where and when you saw something
  • Helping to identify other people's observations
Difficulty our estimateBeginner
Prep time our estimate1 practice session

Difficulty and prep time are Curiosta editorial estimates for a first-timer, not organiser figures.

Refresher

  1. Anything wild counts: a plant, animal, fungus, slime mould or other evidence of life in your city.
  2. Wild means it was not put there and is not cared for by people; mark planted or tended things as captive/cultivated.
  3. Take a picture or record a sound, and note the location.
  4. Share your observations on iNaturalist or your city's chosen platform.
  5. A list of participating cities and a link to the global project will be posted in early 2027.

Practise before you go

  • Photograph a few wild plants or insects near home and practise noting the location.
  • Read the participate page so you know the rules before the weekend.
  • Check whether your city has joined once the list is posted.

Safety notes

  • Do not disturb wildlife for a photo.
  • Respect private property and park rules.
  • Do not pick plants or move animals.

Resources

Officialofficial home page

City Nature Challenge

About the challenge and the 2027 timeline.

Publisher: City Nature Challenge organisers (California Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County)

Officialofficial participation page

Participate

How to take part, what counts, and how the list of cities is posted.

Publisher: City Nature Challenge organisers (California Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County)

Officialofficial organiser page

City organizers

How cities join, for people who want to organise one.

Publisher: City Nature Challenge organisers (California Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County)

All skills guides

04 · Check before you go

What we could and couldn't confirm

Before you book

  • 2027: observe 30 Apr-3 May, identify 4-16 May, results announced 20 May.
  • The list of participating cities is posted in early 2027; the organisers also have a page on organising a city for 2027.
  • Only wild life counts: mark planted or cared-for plants as cultivated.
  • Costs are not listed on Nomad. Check them, and the latest dates, on the official site.
Discuss

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