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Saskatoon’s City Nature Challenge 2025: A Celebration of Nature, Community, and Curiosity

As the final days of Easter Break wrapped up, so did the City Nature Challenge 2025 (CNC YXE), a four-day whirlwind of discovery, observation, and community engagement. This year, Saskatoon not only embraced the spirit of Earth Month but also marked the 10th anniversary of the global initiative to celebrate biodiversity in urban spaces. Through iNaturalist, over 800 observations from Saskatoon’s citizens were logged, showing our collective eagerness to connect with and protect the natural world around us.

Our city’s journey into nature was nothing short of inspiring, sparking curiosity in everyone who ventured outdoors—from the most seasoned naturalists to first-time observers. Through the eyes of the community, Saskatoon’s wild side came alive, with photos of everything from quirky insects to beautiful blooms, all documenting the biodiversity that surrounds us. Whether it was spotting the rare Twice-stabbed Lady Beetle or the iconic Horned Grebe, every observation counted.

But let’s be real—this wasn’t just a competition. It was about something much more profound: the joy of observing nature and the power of local collaboration. Volunteers, schools, community organizations, and even the weather itself came together to make the challenge a huge success.

What the Numbers Say:
Saskatoon may not have been at the top of the leaderboard, but we more than held our own. In fact, with 874 observations from our passionate volunteers, we outpaced Niagara Falls, Kincardine, and Regina, showcasing that even in the face of our unpredictable spring weather, nature thrives in our city. These observations weren’t just numbers—they were a testament to the dedication of our community. From local families to budding citizen scientists, we saw people from all walks of life getting involved and getting their hands dirty, learning and exploring side by side.

Biodiversity Blitz and Invasive Species:
The event wasn’t just a celebration of the natural world; it also sparked important conversations about invasive species and early detection. Volunteers were keen to spot potential threats like the Anopheles quadrimaculatus, a species whose range is expanding, and this helped local scientists monitor and address environmental changes before they become bigger problems.

While some species were charmingly quirky, like the vibrant red organisms observed in the Seeing Red initiative, others—like invasive plants—reminded us of the importance of vigilance in preserving our ecosystems.

A Community Effort:
None of this would have been possible without the tireless support of our local partners:

Saskatoon Public School Division: Your outreach encouraged the next generation to be nature detectives, fostering curiosity and environmental stewardship.

Wild About Saskatoon: You helped guide us through the wonders of our own backyard, reminding us that wildness is something to be celebrated and nurtured.

Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas: Your passion and leadership drove the challenge from start to finish, ensuring the event was as impactful as it was educational.

Saskatoon Nature Society, Sask Power, Sask Tel, Sask Energy: Your unwavering support gave the challenge the energy it needed to succeed.

And to the volunteers—you are the heart of this endeavor. Each observation, each photo, each recorded sound was a small but mighty contribution to a much larger movement. Whether it was sharing a moment with a prairie dog or capturing the call of a warbler, your curiosity and commitment sparked joy, creativity, and a renewed appreciation for the world around us.

Finally, a huge thank you to the scientists and naturalists—both locally and globally—who helped identify our observations and provided expertise. Your knowledge turned our enthusiasm into meaningful data that will help us protect and preserve our environment for generations to come.

Looking Ahead:
As we look ahead to next year, we can’t help but imagine an even bigger, wilder, and more connected CNC YXE. With more community involvement, more schools participating, and an ever-growing network of supporters, the future is bright for Saskatoon’s urban biodiversity. This isn’t just about logging species—it’s about building a culture of curiosity and stewardship, where we all have a role to play in the conservation of the places we love.

So, as the City Nature Challenge ends for 2025, we’ll continue to keep our eyes open, our boots on the ground, and our phones ready to capture the next big discovery. After all, we’re not just counting species—we’re making every species count.

#CNCYXE2025 #CityNatureChallenge #BiodiversityBlitz #SaskatoonWildSide #CitizenScience #NatureIsForEveryone

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Saskatoon’s Wild Stats

Saskatoon’s Wild Stats: How Earth Month and Citizen Science Are Turning Clicks into Conservation

iNaturalist Connect with nature for the City Nature Challenge Saskatoon and Area Défi nature urbaine hosted by the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc

It starts with a snap.

A beetle on a bike path. A flowering weed near a schoolyard. A mystery bird flitting through a suburban backyard. These fleeting encounters, photographed by citizens armed with smartphones, are revolutionizing science from the soil up—and Saskatoon is leading the charge.

Let’s talk numbers. Because Earth Month in Saskatoon isn’t just a feel-good calendar square anymore. It’s become a data goldmine, a real-time pulse check on biodiversity thanks to one powerful tool: iNaturalist.

In 2021, only five Saskatonians took part in the “Where’s Waldo” Nature Connect challenge. Just five. But they submitted 464 observations, which sparked 109 identifications and confirmed 144 species. Not bad for a pandemic year. Fast forward to April 2023, and participation exploded. The City Nature Challenge saw 1,154 observations of 309 species by 148 observers—almost a 30-fold increase in human engagement.

It’s not just quantity. It’s the quality of the science.

These community sightings feed directly into global biodiversity databases. The AI-powered computer vision on iNaturalist suggests identifications, but it’s the humans—like the 142 identifiers in 2025’s Earth Month survey—who validate and enrich the data. This combo of artificial intelligence and community intelligence creates a living map of life on the prairies.

And let’s not forget the 2023 June BioDiverCity Challenge. A jaw-dropping 2,130 observations. Seven. Hundred. Twenty-eight. Species. From fungi to foxes, lichens to ladybugs. That’s not just a list—it’s an ecological manifesto.

Then there’s the detective work: in 2025, Saskatoon citizen scientists weren’t just celebrating biodiversity—they were reporting the bad guys. Observations of noxious invasive species were shared with iMap Invasives SK, while sightings of species at risk were flagged to the Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre. It’s like CSI: Nature.

Even the species ranges are shifting. In 2025, local observers documented species scientists hadn’t seen in Saskatoon before—possible climate-related expansions that opened up conversations with researchers around the world. Talk about breaking news from a butterfly wing.

And here’s the kicker. While Saskatoon’s 2025 Earth Month stats clocked in at 881 observations and 301 species, it was powered by only 72 observers. That’s fewer people than a packed city bus—but look what they accomplished.

So next Earth Month, if someone tells you a single photo can’t make a difference, show them the numbers. Show them what happens when you empower regular people with a smartphone, a curious mind, and a few spare minutes.

Turns out, a snap really can change the world.

Canada Goldenrod-Solidago canadiensis- courtesy hedera.baltica

Biodiversity Blitz: Saskatoon’s Wild Side Gets a Standing Ovation

We came. We saw. We bio-blitzed.

The City Nature Challenge 2025 rolled through Saskatoon like a prairie storm—fast-moving, eye-opening, and, if you listened closely, filled with the sounds of citizen scientists shouting “I think that’s a tiger beetle!” while fumbling for their phones.

And now, as the data trickles in and the final identifications are confirmed, it’s time to put away the binoculars, un-mud the boots, and say two very important words:

Thank you.

Because this wasn’t just a weekend event. It was a symphony of collaboration—a grassroots crescendo of curiosity, care, and community. And if we’re applauding nature, we’d better be applauding the people who helped us find it.

Let’s start with the spark: Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, the nonprofit environmental charity that took the wheel and drove CNC YXE 2025 straight into the hearts and minds of this city. These folks didn’t just sign up. They initiated the challenge. They were the ones in the trenches weeks—months—before the first warbler was spotted, crafting social media campaigns, issuing rallying cries, and putting pamphlets into the hands of teachers, trail-goers, and weekend wanderers.

Their mission? To turn every citizen into a scientist. And guess what? It worked.

They wrote educational articles. They distributed nature guides. They printed field sheets that turned families into field teams and schoolkids into species sleuths. Through workshops and social posts, press releases and posters, they did the thing that seems impossible in today’s digital chaos: they got people to look up from their screens and into the woods.

But they didn’t do it alone.

Enter the mighty partners of CNC YXE 2025. The Saskatoon Nature Society, with their deep field knowledge and uncanny ability to ID warblers from a single tweet. SaskPower, SaskTel, and SaskEnergy—thank you for plugging in to something bigger than the grid. Your support didn’t just keep the lights on; it lit up the entire nature-loving network.

Wild About Saskatoon brought the soul. You reminded us that “wild” is not something scary to be tamed—it’s something magical to be welcomed.

And the Saskatoon Public School Board—heroes of the future. You handed the next generation a magnifying glass and said, “Go explore.” That’s how naturalists are born. That’s how lifelong wonder begins.

And now let’s talk about the volunteers.

These are the people who kneel in the grass, who flip over leaves, who whisper to birds and squeal at spiders. The ones who stayed up late uploading observations, who battled bugs while logging beetles, who probably now dream in Latin species names. You are the reason this challenge was a success. You are the backbone of discovery.

And let’s not forget the identifiers—those generous, sharp-eyed naturalists around the world who turned our blurry caterpillar pics into solid science. Your keen insights and willingness to share your knowledge took this from “Hmm, what’s that?” to “Wow, it’s an Anopheles quadrimaculatus! And it’s a range expansion—we should flag it!”

That’s the magic. This wasn’t just about pretty flowers and charismatic critters. It was also about early detection. It was about spotting invasive species before they become ecological bullies. It was about mapping biodiversity—warts and all—and using that knowledge to protect what we love.

In total, hundreds of species were logged. Thousands of observations made. And perhaps most importantly, countless people fell in love with the natural world all over again.

Because when you stop to observe a beetle, you start to see the system. You start to see that even the smallest life has a role, a function, a place in the web. And that awareness? That’s the first step to stewardship.

So let’s raise a metaphorical glass (of native prairie tea, perhaps?) to everyone who showed up. To those who organized, to those who observed, and to those who identified. You made CNC YXE 2025 not just a scientific event—but a citywide celebration of curiosity.

And as for next year?

Let’s do it again. Bigger. Wilder. Even more connected. Because this isn’t just about logging species. It’s about remembering that we are part of something alive, something intricate, something beautiful—and that the story of Saskatoon’s wild side is still being written, one photo, one observation, one “Wow!” at a time.