Community Science BioBlitz for Earth Month!

[Malia Cafasso]

Hello all! 

With Earth Day approaching, I wanted to share an exciting opportunity to get involved in a global community science effort taking place April 24–27, 2026.

Rhode Island is proud to participate for the 5th year in the City Nature Challenge, an international campaign that invites people to document local wildlife using the iNaturalist app. Each year, hundreds of thousands of participants around the world help record the plants, animals, fungi, and other species living in urban areas.

These observations create valuable data used by scientists, conservationists, and land managers to better understand biodiversity and support efforts to protect it.

You’re welcome to participate on your own, but I especially encourage you to join one of our upcoming events, including guided bird walks, plant walks, and general biodiversity explorations.

Visit the RI City Nature Challenge website for:

* Event registration
* Resources for getting started
* FAQ and participation tips

We’re also hosting an Information Session on April 24 from 12:30–1:30 PM at the Natural History Museum at Roger Williams Park.

We’d love to see you at an event! Please feel free to reach out with any questions. If you’d be interested in organizing an event with your community or organization for the 2027 challenge, I’d be happy to connect.

Best regards, 

Malia Cafasso

[Malia Cafasso]

Hello all, 

I just wanted to clarify something about the City Nature Challenge materials I shared with you yesterday. If you visit the main CNC website, you may see that it says registration is closed. That site serves as the global landing page for the City Nature Challenge, and the registration notice refers to organizations signing up to host projects or events for this year’s challenge (that deadline has already passed). 

Many states and regions have their own local websites with area-specific details, events, and participation information. If you’d like to participate in Rhode Island, please visit the CNC RI website for local information and how to join as an individual. Apologies for any confusion!

Best, 

Malia Cafasso