Friends of LLELA hosting the City Nature Challenge 2024 by iNaturalist

The Friends of LLELA invite you to nature’s paradise for the annual City Nature Challenge 2024 by  iNaturalist.

What is the City Nature Challenge (CNC)?

The CNC is an international event, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities. Run by the Community Science teams at the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM), the CNC is an annual four-day global bioblitz at the end of April, where cities are in a collaboration-meets-friendly-competition to see what can be accomplished when we all work toward a common goal.

How can I participate?

Find Wildlife – It can be any WILD plant, animal, or any other evidence of life found in your city.

Take a Picture or Record a Sound – Take a picture or record the sound of what you find. Be sure to note the location of the critter or plant. Your camera or phone may be able to gps tag your location for you.

Share – Share your observations through iNaturalist app or website. Download the app for free…If it’s planted or taken care of by people it is not WILD. Mark it captive/cultivated!

Where can I participate?

Anywhere in the Dallas Fort Worth 7 county area. OR…LLELA – 201 E Jones St, Lewisville, TX 75057

Come spend time with us at LLELA (Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area) in Lewisville, Texas. We are a 2,600 acre wildlife area situated at the base of Lewisville Lake. A combination of grasslands , prairies, pocket prairies, marshes and wooded areas teeming with wildlife. The Elm Fork branch of the Trinity River bisects the property.

LLELA’s trails include:

• Bittern Marsh Trail
• Redbud Trail
• Blackjack Trail
• Cicada Trail
• Cottonwood Trail
• Green Dragon Trail

What does it cost?

Normally there is a $5 daily entrance fee per car (or seasonal passes available). During this 4-day event admission is FREE when a vehicle occupant presents their iNaturalist app (free download from App Stores).

If you haven’t used the iNaturalist app before, no worries… there will be someone available from 8-10am each day to teach you how to use… it’s an easy process 1) open app, 2) take a picture, 3) identify what you took picture of or ask app to identify, then 4) share…

Who can participate?

Anyone who can operate a camera or smartphone!!! It’s a great experience for the whole family to get out and experience nature… come alone or bring the kids for a wonderful nature experience!

What can I expect to see?

LLELA is loaded with many species of flora (plants) and fauna (animals). What can be observed depends on the wildlife, time of day, location and environment.

• There is a wide array of native plants and trees.
• Insects including various species of damselflies, dragonflies, bees, spiders, butterflies and so many more…
• Reptiles and Amphibians including snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs and toads…
• Birds galore including eagles, osprey, kestrels, vultures, herons, egrets, cormorants, songbirds and migratory birds…
• Mammals including deer, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, and armadillo…
• Marsupials featuring the opossum.