Southern Overberg City Nature Challenge: 29 April - 2 May 2022

- In nature with fun -

Cities and towns around the world this year work together to record biodiversity in a friendly and fun City Nature Challenge, from 29 April to 2 May. This year, the Southern Overberg region is participating in this bio blitz style for the first time. The City Nature Challenge started in 2016 between Los Angeles County and San Francisco but has subsequently grown into an international event. Since South African cities joined in 2019, we have consistently delivered nature's winners, with Cape Town winning with the most observations and the most species observed last year.

All nature lovers are encouraged to join the challenge over the long weekend, to log all the plant and animal species they see in nature in their region. These nature lovers, or citizen scientists, make their observations by using the nature application, iNaturalist on their smartphones. The following week, between 3 May and 8 May, they have time to upload their observations onto the iNaturalist platform. Those interested can then identify their species logged on the app with the help of the iNaturalist community of experts.

You're invited to join

The Botanical Society of South Africa (BotSoc) and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI's) Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW) programme together with the Cape Agulhas Municipality and a host of partners are organizing nature observation walks in the Southern Overberg - and anyone is invited to join. 

According to the Southern Overberg City Nature Challenge project leader, Ian Fortuin, “We've got a fantastic weekend of activities planned, and we're excited to see what the Southern Overberg has to offer in terms of our wonderful nature. This is a great way for everyone - parents and children alike - to enjoy a weekend in nature.” The goal of the City Nature Challenge is to connect people to their local nature, and each other. All the information collected throughout the weekend also feeds into local conservation activities. Southern Overberg City Nature Challenge organizer, Charleen Brunke says, “by helping us make observations, you really can make a difference to the conservation of biodiversity in our region.”

South Africa's involvement 

According to CREW Manager, Suvarna Parbhoo Mohan, “Already 20 South African cities and regions have signed up to participate this year. The excitement to be nature's richest town or region is picking up.”

BotSoc's Conservation Manager, Rupert Koopman says it's wonderful that so many BotSoc Branches are joining the challenge this year. “That means there's ample opportunity for BotSoc members and all nature lovers to become citizen scientists for the weekend and join the action. We'll also have BotSoc and CREW representatives attending events across South Africa.” 

Here is a link to online training resources https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/video+tutorials.

What do you need?

You need a smartphone with GPS and an internet connection to upload your observations at home, at a library, school, or coffee shop. Download the iNaturalist app on your phone and create your profile. 

How to take part

Charleen says, “Join the City Nature Challenge in the Southern Overberg and be part of the action and the latest developments about where we'll be getting into nature to log all the species we see, also known as bioblitzing."

JOIN HERE

For more information on the City Nature Challenge, and BotSoc and CREW's support for the challenge: https://www.facebook.com/BotSocSouthernOverberg

And for a full list of the activities taking place across the Southern Overberg, visit: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022-southern-overberg/journal 

For more information, contact Southern Overberg BotSoc Branch Chair, Stephen Smuts.

Email: stephensmuts1@gmail.com or Tel. 076 972 0450.

Or Southern Overberg BotSoc Branch Vice-Chair, Ian Fortuin. 

Email: ianrfortuin@gmail.com or Tel. 083 357 4132.