City Nature Challenge is back in Kraków!

Just like last year, the Institute of Botany PAS invites everyone to take part in the City Nature Challenge (CNC) — a global citizen science initiative encouraging city residents to photograph and document urban wildlife in their local surroundings. CNC is a friendly competition between cities around the world: which city will record the highest number of observations, find the most species, and engage the largest number of participants?

Kraków is the only Polish city participating in this event. The city’s involvement was initiated by our Institute in cooperation with local partners and nature enthusiasts. We recognize the enormous value of citizen science in biodiversity monitoring and therefore encourage everyone to join this inspiring initiative. We have prepared helpful materials, as well as workshops and special events, to enable as many people as possible to participate.

All observations made during the CNC are recorded using the iNaturalist app. The app is very easy to use, and its built-in identification algorithm helps recognize observed organisms, making species identification accessible to everyone. To participate, simply take a photo of any organism in Kraków between 25–28 April and upload it to iNaturalist. We need as many participants as possible, because every observation counts!

All collected data may be used in current and future scientific research and will help create a foundation for monitoring biodiversity changes in cities. CNC is a great opportunity to discover the biodiversity of your garden, park, or favorite place in Kraków. It is also a chance to meet people with similar interests, engage in citizen science, and spend time outdoors in a different way than usual.