City Nature Challenge 2018: Cleveland's Boletim

Mark your calendars for April 26-29 for City Nature Challenge 2019!
Please spread the word and encourage your friends, families, co-workers, neighbors, and everyone else to join the City Nature Challenge 2019: Cleveland project. (This is a different project page for a new year - be sure to join it yourself!)

Important Dates:
Upload Observations to iNaturalist from April 26-April 29
Finish identifying observations through May 5th.

All other correspondence from me will be coming from the NEW 2019 project page. See you there!

Mark your calendars for April 26-29 for City Nature Challenge 2019!
Please spread the word and encourage your friends, families, co-workers, neighbors, and everyone else to join the City Nature Challenge 2019: Cleveland project. (This is a different project page for a new year - be sure to join it yourself!)

Important Dates:
Upload Observations to iNaturalist from April 26-April 29
Finish identifying observations through May 5th.

If you are interested in access to shared promotion materials for events or programming, please e-mail eprange@cmnh.org.

All other correspondence from me will be coming from the NEW 2019 project page. See you there!

Cleveland scored in the top 3rd of all three categories - Great Job!!!
22nd in Total # of Observations (over 50% research grade!)
17th in # of Species (72 of which had not been documented via iNaturalist before!)
21st in # of People (156 new iNaturalist users!)

San Francisco won all three categories this year with over 40,000 observations - wow!
Globally, 17,329 people observed 441,888 organisms/18,116 species - wow again!

Read more about it on Los Angeles' iNaturalist News. Highlights include @rcurtis being recognized as one of the top 5 "Species-finders" GLOBALLY!!! Nice Work! (and we're glad you're on our team!)

Even though the CNC had ended, please keep following the City Nature Challenge 2018: Cleveland. You'll see another post next year when we begin preparing for City Nature Challenge 2019! In the meantime, keep exploring with iNaturalist. We recommend Lower Lake Erie Region CSI (Citizen Science Inventory) by the Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership for Biodiversity.

Thank you all for taking last weekend to celebrate Cleveland-Akron-Canton's Biodiversity!

We made it to the end of the Challenge with amazing results: 6,344 observations (40% are research grade), over 1,000 species and over 300 participants! WOW! Great work, everyone!

Check out our Species List to see photos of Cleveland-Akron-Canton's biodiversity captured during the Challenge. (select "# observations" above the species name to see the recent photos).

Official results will be announced on Friday as we still have a few days (until May 3rd) to identify observations, upload anything observed during the Challenge that hasn't made it onto iNaturalist yet, or report numbers of participants for programming. This type of manual reporting is useful if you led programs or events with groups of people sharing iNaturalist accounts - the Leaderboard only reflects the number of iNaturalist accounts that contributed, not the actual people behind the device. Any numbers to add? e-mail eprange@cmnh.org to let us know.

Results will be posted here on Friday or check out the Leaderboard anytime you'd like.

Remember... just because we're done observing for the City Nature Challenge doesn't mean it's time to delete iNaturalist. There are MANY local projects looking for contributions (Check out Lower Lake Erie Region CSI), plus it's fun to create a record of what you've seen. Have a favorite local project? Add it to the comments.

Today is the LAST day to make observations for the City Nature Challenge. The collective global totals are currently: 288,469 observations, 14,264 species, and 13,726 people observing. We are part of an ENORMOUS bioblitz. Let's show the world what Cleveland has to offer!

Our current totals (5,577 observations, 950 species, and 292 observers) place us in 16th place (total observations and people participating) of 69 cities around the world (14th place in number of species!).

Shout out to our top ten observers: @rcurtis @zeus82 @cladonia_chris @hannahdustin @murrdogg @martycalabrese @mfbenard @owa-ray @lisa63 @tortuga_rapido

Shout out to our top ten identifiers: @azornoutdoors @tsn @jeremyhussell @martycalabrese @lisa63 @cladonia_chris @mfbenard @mcaple @rcurtis @flosi

and a HUGE thanks to all of you for putting Cleveland on the map! The cities directly ahead of us on the Leaderboard are Triangle Area (5751 observations), Boston Area (1001 species) and Minneapolis/St. Paul (297 people). Let's bump ourselves up one more place on the leaderboard in all three categories. The sun is shining in Cleveland - we can do it!

If we each add 10 more observations today, that will be over 1,000 new observations.
Tag people in the comments who can help us out!

P.S. - you do NOT need to tag this project in your observations (iNaturalist won't let you). BUT, rest assured, any observation you make today within the boundaries of the greater Cleveland-Akron-Canton area will automatically count.

@pinkpimpernel @johnnycanuck @dtoth @pacharvat @jburwell @marymac @naturegurl @gonyere @sclyde @nr_travis @azurain @stibilap @jessica7571 @mitchisdaname @lauren_24 @piggy217 @dan124 @charlie39 @lori72 @yardena @bl536813 @emilyphillip @boruma @wwwasman @kents @tlsbissell @chriskopsak @hegiebeast @mayaskatz @afarivar @joellenicole @isabellakibler @nataliewpeacock @kathleenbarrymcgrath @francescaglorioso @brodiel1 @forniter @aidaomeara @purpledusk @nanarose @sadieo3 @lexhallo @spruce20 @ebouffard @nancystone2 @matt291 @annakiss @jangelini @kmershimer @ken_ohio @christopherswan @rford1213 @ben64 @nature_loving_nephilim @bfischer16 @vanessa64 @fortnite4life @bfoster @talkodeb @kaylablack @beithedaire @vjctt @red3dsxl @alison70 @ronnell @northcoastnaturalist @jackiekresic @columbo @yazman @glp @lynn89 @cowsamerica @shelleytender @gregemmert @edgenotes @analocci @smp_naturalist-jmalmisur @katechapel @goodnerbw @rmburns @crl21 @parker_barrett @bugggy1212 @ollie89 @dashnerg @jack62579976543 @jacobschapel @artlover03 @cooneybm2021 @mameldrum7 @avari @madimorris @jleca @msommerfelt @chris481 @zacefron4life @maddiebarger @vitaminn @deptentcmnh @keith72 @georgecarr @samguyer @anne17 @landnaturalist514 @oliverfinkle @kennaz @kavlick @hainesmr2020 @sophiethetrophy @julia_schroeder44 @williamobrien @celina10 @jaimefeeman

Let's go, Cleveland-Akron-Canton! One more day!

Cleveland remains in the top third of 69 participating cities in ALL THREE CATEGORIES! And you shattered yesterday's goal of 550 species by logging 788 species and counting! (More than enough to pass Seattle and St. Louis on the Leaderboard along with the other 45 or so cities below us - this includes Pittsburg for you Browns fans out there). Also we DOUBLED the observation count passing 4,000. WOW!!!

There are even more events across the area today and I can't wait to see what we find! Keep encouraging others to pick-up iNaturalist to help us out - let's add another 102 participants today to bump our total to 350!

For those of you leading events - participants who help, but do not use their own iNaturalist accounts (like children or groups working together) can be manually added into the totals at the end of the competition. If you have numbers or estimates to be added to the participant total, send them to eprange@cmnh.org by May 3rd for reporting. Results will be announced May 4th.

As we approach 2,000 species with 457 different species, I'd like to give a shout-out to our top 5 identifiers. Big thank you to @martycalabrese @mcaple @birds485 @tsn @malisaspring and everyone else who has been identifying observations for helping us learn what all these amazing living things actually are!

If you're curious how this step works, check out these Identification Instructions.

Cleveland is in the top 20 (of 69 cities) in all three categories right now - Woo! We're gaining on Seattle Metropolitan Area's species count and can pass them if we get to 500 before they do! They are also just ahead of us in the total observations by only 14. Day two has more events in store plus many curious individuals and small groups exploring their neighborhoods. As you get your cameras ready (and maybe rain gear....) take a look at these lists of species that have been spotted in our area in Aprils past, but not yet for the CNC:
List of Birds to Find.
List of Amphibians to Find.
List of Reptiles to Find.

List of mammals to Find.
List of plants to Find.

Examples from the list: Coopers Hawk, Dark Eyes Junco, Box Turtle, Virginia Opossum (road kill pictures count), Striped Skunk, Common Daisy, Greater Celandine, Red Tailed Hawk, Spotted Salamander, Jack-In-The-Pulpit, Red Admiral, Mourning Cloak and more!

Day 2 Goal: Increase our species count (Think we can hit 550?) and pass Seattle on the Leaderboard!

(Note: In the time it took me to write this, we have ALREADY passed Seattle in total observations - keep it up, Cleveland-Akron-Canton!)

Go Cleveland-Akron-Canton!
We've passed the 1,000 observation milestone! Shout out to @zeus82 for logging 252 of those - wow! and to @martycalabrese for finding the most species (38!) AND making this amazing video. Check out Marty's Virtual Hike and share your own celebrations in the comments below.

Think we can get 1500 observations by the end of the day?!?
Let's find out!

The City Nature Challenge is just a few hours away! Grab your camera or device, your favorite observation tools and a few friends to see what you can find. Don't forget to check the Leaderboard throughout the challenge to watch the results roll in.

Several cities have already begun their challenge. Klang Valley, Hong Kong and Tokyo are off to a great start, but Cleveland joins the challenge soon! 168 observations, 45 species and 39 people are the stats to beat right now, but keep an eye on those numbers - they will be climbing much higher over the next few days.

Go Cleveland-Akron-Canton!!!

As the City Nature Challenge is less than one month away, perhaps you're brushing up on your iNaturalist skills (or trying the app for the first time!), scoping out the perfect observation area, or inviting all your friends and family to join you on your quest for discovering local biodiversity.

As you start to plan your City Nature Challenge weekend, check out some of the programming and events happening throughout the Cleveland-Akron-Canton area below. Some listings include hyperlinks for more information. Remember, all observations count whether you participate in an event or document on your own.

Did I miss an event near you? Please tell us about it in the comments!

CNC Programs and Events:

Alliance, OH: The Huston-Brumbagh Nature Center - University of Mount Union will be hosting a BioBlitz on April 29th from 8am-4pm. Join in the Fun!

Chagrin Falls, OH: Case Western Reserve University will be contributing data from their Squire Valleevue and Valley Ridge Farms BioBlitz.

Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Natural History has several programs scheduled including a van trip with Natural Areas, a Student Naturalist program for grades 6-8, and a public program for the whole family. Join in the Fun!

Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Volunteer Program will be contributing data from a Macroinvertebrate study of Chagrin River. Open to WVP Volunteers Only

Hartville, OH: Stark Parks is hosting a BioBlitz at Quail Hollow Park on April 29th from 9am-5pm. Join in the Fun!

Hudson, OH: Students at Seton Catholic School will be working with Tinkers Creek Watershed Partners to contribute data to the CNC. Open to Students Only

Peninsula, OH: The Cuyahoga Valley National Park will be participating in the City Nature Challenge.

Vermilion, OH: The Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Ohio Wetlands Association and Lorain County Metro Parks will be leading a BioBlitz in the Lorain County Metro Parks Cassell Reservation, a brand new park! The event will be held on April 28th beginning at 7am for birders/9am for all other naturalists and will end around noon. Park and assemble at the end of Parkside Reserve, approximately 1/3 mile east off Highbridge Road just South of Rt. 6 (Liberty Avenue) in Vermilion. To join in the fun, please RSVP to Kate Pilacky at kpilacky@wrlandconservancy.org or call 440-774-4226.