Watch this space for new events

If you are interested in hosting events, and:

• you are not a current organizer, please sign up to be a partner.
• you already are a partner, email us at citynaturephilly@gmail.com with your event list including name, location, start and end dates and times, and a brief description. 

Download the iNaturalist app on your smart device before these events to get started right away (Google Play | Apple App Store). 
NOTE: Most events are free unless otherwise indicated. Most events, including those that are free, require pre-registration.

PRE-CNC EVENTS

Sunday, April 14

Montgomery County, PA

Learn about Bioblitz

12:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Walk on the Cynwyd Trail, chat with Lower Merion Sustainability Ambassadors, learn about how to BioBlitz, electrify your home, and handle Spring and Summer pests.
Location: Cynwyd Heritage Trail, Barmouth Trailhead
Partner Org: Lower Merion Township

Sunday, April 21

Montgomery County, PA

Wynnewood Valley Park Earth Day

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Enjoy this Earth Day Celebration with a native plant sale, composting 101, information on how to join a BioBlitz, recycled art, kids activities, and more!
Location: Wynnewood Valley Park
Partner Org: Lower Merion Township

Wednesday, April 24

Philadelphia County, PA

Spring Tastes, Tonics, & Technology

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Walk to find edible spring plants for teas and snacks. Learn iNaturalist, an additional tool used to positively ID plants before eating, while also preparing for participation in the City Nature Challenge. Older Adults. Free.
Location: Pennypack Environmental Center, 8600A Verree Rd 19115
Type: Science for Seniors
Partner Org: Pennypack Environmental Center
Leader: Stephanie & Christina
Cost: Free
Registration: https://forms.gle/S9BBXEVtYYiCpRU28

Thursday, April 25

Philadelphia County, PA

Tech + Nature

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Nature apps are popular. How to use them & still enjoy the outdoors. This will prepare the kids to participate in CNC at home. 2nd Grade & up.
Location: Pennypack Environmental Center, 8600A Verree Rd 19115
Type: Homeschool
Partner Org: Pennypack Environmental Center
Leader: Stephanie & Christina
Cost: $5/child
Registration: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePEC/events

After School Adventures

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Nature apps are popular. How to use them & still enjoy the outdoors. This will prepare our Afterschool kids to participate in CNC at home. Ages 6-12
Location: Pennypack Environmental Center, 8600A Verree Rd 19115
Type: After School
Partner Org: Pennypack Environmental Center
Leader: Stephanie & Christina
Cost: $5/child
Registration: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePEC/events

CNC EVENTS

Friday, April 26

Philadelphia County, PA

Pennypack on the Delaware: City Nature Challenge

11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Join Riverfront North Partnership in cataloging the biodiversity of Pennypack on the Delaware. This Audubon certified “Important Bird Area” has a wide variety of native flora and fauna, including a nesting pair of bald eagles that has been returning for the past 10+ years. We’ll travel along natural surface and paved trails through the park’s large meadow, a forest restoration area where over 1,700 native trees have been planted over the past 5 years, and both ephemeral and tidal wetlands. In years past several Pennsylvania Endangered plant species have been observed in the tidal zones. If you’d like to help volunteer with restoring the biodiversity by planting native shrubs prior to the event, please plan to arrive at 9:00 am (same location) instead of 11:00am. All supplies and water/snacks provided.
Location: Pennypack on the Delaware Picnic Pavilion map link
Type: Bioblitz
Partner Org: Riverfront North
Cost: Free
Registration: None

City Nature Challenge 2024 Fishtown Bioblitz

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Join us for an exciting “BioBlitz” during the 2024 City Nature Challenge where people from all over the world collaborate to record wildlife in their city! We will teach you how to use the iNaturalist app to document plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms in our area. This program is open to all ages!
Location: Fishtown Community Library
Type: Bioblitz
Partner Org: Fishtown Community Library
Cost: Free
Registration: None

Montgomery County, PA

City Nature Challenge with Natural Lands

9:00 am – 11:00 am – Natural Lands is excited to be part of the 2024 City Nature Challenge. Explore with Preserve Manager of Saunders Woods Preserve on Friday, April 26 and we will introduce you to the iNaturalist app and practice observation skills, and then explore the forests and meadows capturing photos and uploading them to the app for identification.
Location: Saunders Woods Preserve
Type: Bioblitz
Partner Org: Natural Lands
Leader: Luke Hamilton
Cost: Free
Registration: City Nature Challenge – Natural Lands (natlands.org)

Saturday, April 27

Philadelphia County, PA

Wissahickon Environmental Center Bioblitz and Identification

11:00 am – 3:00 pm – To participate in iNaturalist’s City Nature Challenge, Wissahickon Environmental Center will set up several identification stations for different organisms, such as fungi, trees, wildflowers, micro-life, creek life, and birds. The stations will be between the Tree House and Harper’s Meadow (at the creek by Northwest Stables). We will have an information station at the beginning of Forbidden Drive outside Cedars House.
Location: 200 W Northwestern Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118
Type: Bioblitz
Partner Org: Wissahickon Environmental Center
Leader: Tony Croasdale
Cost: Free
Registration: None

Circuit Trails Day with Disability Pride Pennsylvania

11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Disability Pride Pennsylvania in partnership with The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University will join cities around the world to collaborate and share observations of nature in the 2024 City Nature Challenge. We will gather at The Schuylkill River Trail in front of the Lloyd Hall Recreation Center. There is a parking lot at the Lloyd Hall with a few accessible parking sites. We will have two naturalists and use the technology of two Apps, Merlin and iNaturalist as well as naturalist backpacks borrowed from the ANS to guide us and help us enter our nature findings for the challenge. Go to our event on https://www.disabilitypridepa.org/outdoors-for-everyone.
Location: The Schuylkill River Trail in front of the Lloyd Hall Recreation Center
Type: Walk
Partner Org: Disability Pride Pennsylvania, Academy of Natural Sciences
Cost: Free
Registration: https://www.disabilitypridepa.org/outdoors-for-everyone

City Nature Challenge Info & Activity Table

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Visit the CNC table at our annual Sheep Shearing Day at Fox Chase Farm to learn more about CNC and iNaturalist, and participate in nature finding activities to sharpen your Citizen Science skills and add to the challenge.
Location: Fox Chase Farm
Type: Festival
Partner Org: Pennypack Environmental Center
Leader: Stephanie & Christina
Cost: $5 festival entry fee
Registration: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePEC/events

Montgomery County, PA

City Nature Challenge at Laurel Hill West

9:00 am – 11:00 am – Celebrate Earth Day with us on Saturday, April 27 for a family-friendly BioBlitz in Nature’s Sanctuary, our SITES Gold certified green burial area. In addition to contributing to the Philadelphia Area’s standing-in the contest that starts on April 26 and extends to the end of the day on May 4, all observations of organisms made by participants have the potential to be rated “Research Grade” for future use in climate, ecological or other environmental research projects.
At this event, attendees will: Learn how to use iNaturalist and Seek apps to enrich their outdoor experiences; Be encouraged to get curious, zoom in and notice the subtle or major differences between organisms; Be in the company of experienced naturalists who can (try to!) answer questions.
The group will meet at Laurel Hill Funeral Home before heading to Nature’s Sanctuary. This event is free and open to all ages.
Location: Laurel Hill West
Type: Bioblitz
Partner Org: Laurel Hill
Leader: Jo Cosgrove
Cost: Free
Registration: No, but encouraged to RSVP to info@laurelhillphl.com

Spring Adopt-a-Tree Treeplanting

10:30 am – 12:00 pm – Spring is a wonderful time to plant trees just as the preserve is coming back to life. Planting trees at the preserve helps to combat climate change and helps to maintain our local water supply as the trees we plant keep runoff from heading to the Schuylkill River watershed. Registration is required as spaces are limited. This event is open to all ages. Please bring your own water and work gloves to the event.
Location: Riverbend EEC
Type: Festival
Partner Org: Riverbend EEC
Leader:
Cost: Pay what you wish
Registration: https://riverbendeec.org/events/spring-adopt-a-tree-treeplanting-event-24

Sunday, April 28

Philadelphia County, PA

BioBlitz at The Woodlands

10:00 am – 11:30 am – Join us for an exciting BioBlitz on April 28th from 10:00 am to 11:30 am at The Woodlands during the 2024 City Nature Challenge where people from all over the world collaborate to document wildlife in their city! In partnership with The Woodlands, Philadelphia Mycology Club, and Feminist Bird Club participants will use the app iNaturalist to explore the biodiversity of The Woodlands (an incredible green space located in West Philadelphia) all while participating in community science! Community science data collected through iNaturalist observations is key to help monitor urban biodiversity health.
Location: The Woodlands, 4000 Woodland Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Type: Bioblitz
Partner Org: The Woodlands, Feminist Bird Club, Philadelphia Mycology Club
Leader: Lauren Belcher
Cost: Free
Registration: https://inaturalistswestphilly.ticketleap.com/west-philadelphia-bioblitz/dates/Apr-28-2024_at_1000AM

Let’s Celebrate Orkney Park

11:30 am – 1:00 pm – Let’s celebrate Orkney Park! Join the Friends of Orkney Park for a family-friendly City Nature Challenge event. We’ll explore with the kids from 11:30am-12:00pm and explore with the adults from12:30pm-1pm. We’ll also have a ribbon cutting ceremony at Noon celebrating Orkney Park’s permanent preservation by the Neighborhood Gardens Trust through the support of PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Location: 854 N. Orkney Street
Type: Bioblitz
Partner Org: Friends of Orkney Park and Neighborhood Gardens Trust
Cost: Free

Montgomery County, PA

Riverbend’s Spring Bird Walk

8:00 am – 9:30 am – Riverbend in collaboration with Bird Town, PA invite you to walk with birder and conservationist, Phil Witmer as he leads families on a leisurely walk around the preserve at Riverbend. Check out the many species of birds that call Riverbend their home.
Location: Riverbend EEC
Type: Walk
Partner Org: Riverbend EEC
Leader: Phil Witmer
Cost: Free
Registration: https://riverbendeec.org/events/spring-bird-walk-24

Monday, April 29

Philadelphia County, PA

Wildlife Walk with PEC

10:00 am – 11:00 am – Explore the Nature Sanctuary in search of sights, sounds & signs of wildlife. Arrive early and learn how we can record our sightings with iNaturalist for the City Nature Challenge. Adults Only.
Location: Pennypack Environmental Center, 8600A Verree Rd 19115
Type: Walk
Partner Org: Pennypack Environmental Center
Leader: Stephanie & Christina
Cost: Free
Registration: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePEC/events

Twilight Toad Walk

Sunset – This hike coincides breeding season of some frogs including American toads. We will listen to the strange and often beautiful songs of these night singing amphibians. Arrive early and learn how we can record our sightings with iNaturalist for the City Nature Challenge.
Location: Pennypack Environmental Center or Champions Playground
Type: Walk
Partner Org: Pennypack Environmental Center
Leader: Stephanie & Christina
Cost: Free
Registration: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePEC/events

Identification Events

Tuesday, April 30

Philadelphia County, PA

After School Adventures

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Tuesday 4/30 | What is that?! | Part of CNC is identifying species. We will follow up on our last adventure logging discoveries on iNaturalist, while also practicing our skills on the trail.
Location: Pennypack Environmental Center, 8600A Verree Rd 19115
Type: After School
Partner Org: Pennypack Environmental Center
Leader: Stephanie & Christina
Cost: $5/child
Registration: https://forms.gle/crut4eCUoLeUbgCg8

Saturday, May 4

Montgomery County, PA

NarbEarth day

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – City Nature Challenge Identification and wrap-up app help at the LMT Sustainability booth
Location: Narberth Borough, Haverford Ave
Partner Org: Lower Merion Township

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