Alright, nature lovers, scientists, and backyard adventurers, here’s the deal: the 10th anniversary of the City Nature Challenge (CNC YXE 2025) is happening this year, and it’s going to be BIG! We’re talking April 25 – April 28, 2025, which is the perfect time for some outdoor fun. After all, Earth Month is turning 55, and we’ve got a whole weekend for you to get outside and join this global event, so why not take advantage of the Easter break from April 19 to April 27? While students are wrapping up their Easter Break (a glorious 9-day stretch of nature-filled fun from April 19 to April 27), the City Nature Challenge presents an incredible opportunity for all of us to connect with the great outdoors, discover wild organisms, and take part in citizen science.
But wait—are you asking, “What exactly is the City Nature Challenge, and why should I care?” Well, buckle up, because I’m about to tell you all about it!
The CNC is a worldwide collaborative event that encourages YOU (yes, YOU!) to get outside and document as many wild plants, animals, fungi, and other species as possible using the iNaturalist app. Whether you’re in the heart of the city, walking your sidewalk, sitting at a soccer game or out in the wilds of your local park, your goal is simple: observe, record, and share! Sounds like a blast, right?
And speaking of iNaturalist, let me tell you, some truly hilarious and heartwarming moments come from this app. It’s not just about tracking rare species (though that’s fun, too!). No, sometimes it’s about documenting the goofy, quirky things that happen when we interact with the natural world. There are iNaturalist projects that’ve popped up over the years—like the legendary “Show Us Your Blues” project, or the hilariously specific “Seeing Yellow: Celebrate the City Nature Challenge and Earth Month with a Splash of Sunshine” (yep, that was real!). One project even asked for purple organisms! But did we mention the joy of finding a purple flower or an American vetch? Seriously, nature has a way of surprising you, and sometimes it’s the most unexpected observations that bring the most laughs.
So, here’s your challenge: Download the free iNaturalist app to your smartphone if you haven’t already. It’s super easy—just grab the app from the Apple Store or Google Play and create an account. Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to be a citizen scientist in this fun and global event. Whether you’re spotting wildflowers, tracking birds, discovering an insect or documenting an unexpected sighting of a particularly friendly squirrel, your observations count!
Here’s a question for you: What is the wildest thing you’ve ever seen in nature? Was it a bird doing an awkward dance? A frog giving you the side-eye? Share those moments with the world! And trust me, the stories that come from observing nature are some of the most hilarious and heartwarming tales. Nature doesn’t follow a script—it’s full of surprises and, sometimes, a whole lot of silliness.
The City Nature Challenge kicks off with the Observation & Data Collection Phase from April 25 to April 28, 2025. That’s when you’ll head outside, snap photos, and upload your observations using iNaturalist. Then, from April 29 to May 4, it’s time for the Identification Phase. Help identify what others have observed! Don’t worry if you’re not an expert. You can always rely on the AI tool in the iNaturalist app for help—or just have fun making your best guess, after all, it’s easy to say, this is a plant, or an animal, it can be that easy, or to use the magic of the iNaturalist Computer Vision technology to make a suggestion! Wow!
So, what are YOU going to do during this fun-filled weekend? Will you be the first to spot a rare mushroom? The one to discover an elusive butterfly? Or maybe you’ll just get super excited about a particularly silly-looking bug. Whatever happens, be sure to share it! Everyone in the iNaturalist community is rooting for each other to document as much as we can.
It’s all about connecting people to nature, growing community, and collecting important biodiversity data that can help with conservation efforts. Plus, there’s a little friendly competition thrown in, too. (Can your city outshine the others in documenting the most species? Let’s find out!)
We want YOU to participate and make this City Nature Challenge the best one yet. And don’t forget—help identify species from April 29 to May 4 and watch the results roll in on May 5. This event isn’t just about the observations; it’s about fun, learning, and sharing the joy of nature with others.
So, have you downloaded iNaturalist yet? What are you waiting for? The great outdoors is calling, and there are so many wild and wonderful things to discover! And who knows, you might just have the most unexpected, laugh-out-loud moment of your life while watching an organism in nature.
Get outside, get observing, and most importantly—get ready to laugh at the silliness of nature!
Let’s go, and let’s make this Earth Month one to remember! 🌍🎉
Come to Nature, Come to Life! …and, Whoa! There are also free events! Free events in a forest. A forest in Saskatoon. NO way, it doesn’t get much better than this.
For directions as to how to drive to “George Genereux” Urban Regional Park
For directions on how to drive to Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
For more information:
NEW P4G District Official Community Plan
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada north of Cedar Villa Road, within city limits, in the furthest south west area of the city. 52° 06′ 106° 45′
Addresses:
Part SE 23-36-6 – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A
Part SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A
S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A
NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063
Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot
Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com
Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map
Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)?with map
Blogger: FriendsAfforestation
Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.comFacebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park
Facebook: StBarbeBaker Afforestation Area
Facebook for the non profit Charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. FriendsAreas
Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Support via Zeffy
Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )
Donate your old vehicle, here’s how!
Support using Canada Helps
Support via a recycling bottle donation and Join the plastic-recycle challenge!
United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
- Use the UN Decade’s Visual Identity
- Make it your own
- Spread the word about the UN Decade
- Let’s Bring Back Forests
- Let’s Green Our Cities
““Be like a tree in pursuit of your cause. Stand firm, grip hard, thrust upward. Bend to the winds of heaven..”
Richard St. Barbe Baker
Forests of Memory. Forests of Learning. Forests for Life. 