Celebrate Earth Day with Inaturalist and the City Nature Challenge

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH INATURALIST AND THE CITY NATURE CHALLENGE

Earth Day is a reminder of our deep connection to the natural world. Here in Polk County, we’re surrounded by wild beauty, from the pines of the Green Swamp to the wind-swept ridges of the Lake Wales Ridge. But how often do we pause to notice the tracks in the sand, the flutter of a butterfly, or the call of a bird overhead?

This year, go beyond enjoying nature and help conserve it. With just a smartphone and a little curiosity, you can become a citizen scientist by using iNaturalist, a free app that allows anyone to document plants, animals, and fungi in their local environment.

From April 25-28, Polk County will join the City Nature Challenge, a worldwide event where people compete to document the most species in their communities. It’s a chance to explore, sharpen your wildlife-spotting skills, and contribute valuable data all while having fun in our wild spaces.

JOIN THE CITY NATURE CHALLENGE

The challenge events this year include guided hikes, scavenger hunts, and BioBlitzes, which are timed events where volunteers work together to catalog as many species as possible. Whether you’re a seasoned naturalist or just enjoy a walk in the woods, there’s an event for you.

One highlight is the Bellini Preserve BioBlitz on Saturday, April 26, where nature lovers will gather to document species in one of Polk County’s newest nature preserves. You can find more information and RSVP by scanning the QR Code, below.

OTHER EVENTS INCLUDE:

· Sunset BioBlitz at Se7en Wetlands – April 25

· Colt Creek State Park iNaturalist Scavenger Hunt – April 26

• Wetland Bioblitz at Tiger Creek Preserve – April 26

· Lake Wales Ridge Guided Hike – April 27

Find the full event list at is.gd/Azkkfk.

WHY DOES BIODIVERSITY DATA MATTER?

Biodiversity is the foundation of a healthy environment. It affects everything from the pollination of crops to clean water filtration in wetlands to the balance of predator and prey in an ecosystem. The greater the variety of species in an area, the more resilient it is to change and damage.

Unfortunately, Florida is losing biodiversity at an alarming rate. Habitat loss due to construction and development, pollution, climate change, and invasive species threaten native plants and animals, often before we fully understand their role in the ecosystem. Even small changes, such as the disappearance of a single pollinator species, can have cascading effects on the plants and wildlife that depend on it.

Traditionally, we have relied on academic research to monitor these changes, but scientific studies take time and are expensive to conduct. Advances in citizen science (like iNaturalist and the City Nature Challenge) help researchers gather data faster and at a larger scale, reducing costs while expanding our understanding of biodiversity. The observations collected by everyday nature enthusiasts provide real-time insights that scientists and land managers use to make informed conservation decisions.

That’s why efforts like the City Nature Challenge are critical. By documenting species with iNaturalist, everyday people can help scientists track population changes, monitor the spread of invasive species, and identify areas in need of conservation efforts. At a time when research funding is increasingly limited, citizen science helps bridge the gap—ensuring we have the data needed to protect and manage our ecosystems.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING RARE PLANTS

Polk County sits at the heart of the Lake Wales Ridge, an ancient sandy highland that was once a chain of islands when much of Florida was underwater. This isolation allowed plants and animals to evolve here that exist nowhere else on Earth. However, many of these species are endangered.

Take sandhill lupine (Lupinus cumulicola), a rare wildflower found only in Florida’s dry, sandy habitats. Endemic to the Lake Wales Ridge and surrounding sandhills, this species thrives in scrubby flatwoods and longleaf pine ecosystems. Its seeds germinate best in open, sunlit areas created by periodic fires. Without fire, taller vegetation crowds it out, making it difficult to survive. Though rare, it can still be locally abundant in Polk County, making it an excellent species to document during the City Nature Challenge.

Other rare plants, like the Florida perforate reindeer lichen (Cladonia perforate), help stabilize sandy soils, while yellow butterworts (Pinguicula lutea) rely on trapping insects for nutrients in nutrient-poor wetlands. Many of these species are increasingly at risk due to habitat loss and development.

One of the most effective ways to protect these species is through land conservation. Here in Polk County, residents recently took a bold step for conservation. A voter-approved ballot initiative set aside funding to purchase and protect natural areas, ensuring they remain wild for future generations. Bellini Preserve is one of the first properties acquired through this initiative, meaning it will be permanently protected rather than lost to development.

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH ACTION

So how can you make the most of Earth Day this year?

· STEP OUTSIDE. Visit a state park, nature preserve, or even your own backyard. Look closely at the wild plants and animals around you. What flowers are blooming? What insects are buzzing by?

· DOCUMENT WHAT YOU SEE. Download iNaturalist, take photos of wildlife, and upload your observations. Every bit of data helps scientists understand and protect Florida’s ecosystems.

· JOIN AN EVENT. Sign up for a City Nature Challenge BioBlitz and experience the thrill of discovering new species with fellow nature lovers.

Conservation isn’t just something scientists do; it’s something we all play a role in. Every observation, every effort to appreciate Florida’s wild spaces, adds to the bigger picture.

This Earth Day, let’s come together as a community to explore, observe, and protect the incredible biodiversity that makes Polk County special.

If you have questions or want to learn more about natural resources in Polk County, contact scarnevale@ufl.edu. You can also find upcoming workshops and events at polkcountyextension.eventbrite.com.