To get ready for our first time using iNaturalist, I set up an account, downloaded the mobile app, and read through the “Getting Started” guide. The app is easy to use- you tap “observe,” take and upload a photo of a living thing you’ve encountered in the wild, search from a list of choices to record what you saw, and save and upload your observation to share it with the community. It’s fun to explore the thousands of observations already posted in your area, especially if you’re into learning the names of different species with your kids or students. For example, I ran across a one-day “bio-blitz” in the nature sanctuary near our home, an event where amateur naturalists identified nearly a hundred species of plants, insects, birds, and animals.
Now we can learn more species names and start to recognize more of what we see on family hikes. I told the kids about the site and planned a weekend hike to take some photos together. I wanted to be able to explain to them what some of the uses of our species identification photos would be for scientists, so I did a little more homework before the hike. It’s run by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, and its open data crowdsourced by users has been used to fuel peer-reviewed research as well as national and international science initiatives. As of November 2020, more than 62 million observations have been added to the site; of these, around half are “Research Grade,” meeting site criteria for being independently verified by more than one user and including GPS coordinates. Why would kids care? A young child discovering an unusual bird or bug in her backyard could help scientists expand the known habitat for her find. And it’s also just fun for them to have naturalists who know their plants and animals dig into your photos and tell you what you’ve found.
If you’re an educator and want to use iNaturalist with your students, try this helpful teacher’s guide. It’s really easy to use, even with young kids… definitely give it a try on your next outdoor field trip.
