Atlanta City Nature Challenge

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 Atlanta City Nature Challenge and for making it the most successful year for Atlanta so far! As always, we are grateful to those that joined us for 2024's program and hope that you will join us again next year.

Your contributions helped the Greater Atlanta Area identify over 1,800 species with the highest number observations ever for Atlanta!

Join the 2025 City Nature Challenge now! New and returning partners, and interested participants, are encouraged to reach out to forest@fernbankmuseum.org with any questions.

View 2023 Atlanta City Nature Challenge Results.

About the Program

In 2019, Fernbank joined a global initiative started by the California Academy of Science and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to encourage individuals and families to document species of plants, animals and fungi found in nature using the iNaturalist app. The Atlanta City Nature Challenge’s goal is to connect people to nature and help give valuable insight into what species call Atlanta home.

The best part of this challenge is that it is available to EVERYONE! Participants do not have to be able to identify the organisms which have been found in order to join the City Nature Challege effort. For those who are more practiced nature enthusiasts, there is an opportunity, however, to help ID anything that you personally recognize. In fact, identifying the organisms is one of the most interesting and challenging parts of the City Nature Challenge event. Therefore, we encourage you to take part in photographing native plants and animals to showcase Georgia’s natural wildlife without the worry of identifying their species, unless you would enjoy participating in that activity, as well.

Get Involved

If you are in an area highlighted on this map, you will be included in the greater Atlanta City nature project. Any other areas will be included in the global project.

Sign up to receive email updates, tips and fun facts relating to the Atlanta City Nature Challenge.
Download iNaturalist or search for iNaturalist in the app store.

As an added bonus, you can join the Atlanta City Nature Challenge 2024 to view stats; however, it is not required for the event.

View this video tutorial on how to navigate the iNaturalist app.
Education resources are now available. Review the Education Toolkit.
Get Outside and explore nature, either in your own backyard, local greenspace or even with a trip to Fernbank Forest! Look for what you would like to showcase for Georgia’s wildlife; any plant, animal or fungi in Atlanta would count.
Take a Picture with your Smartphone! Your picture will be automatically geo-tagged and date stamped by your phone.
If a picture isn’t an option – no worries! Make a sound recording on your phone.
Share Your Observations when you Upload them through the free iNaturalist app.