This year marks the 51st anniversary of Earth Day, an annual celebration of our planet marked by an array of festivities and tributes to nature, and designed to remind us that we are stewards of the earth and the importance of appreciating nature. Join the San Bernardino County Museum and Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (IERCD) April 22 through May 9 virtually, as they combine Earth Day in conjunction with the Inland Empire City Nature Challenge. This program will encourage families to become citizen scientists whilst exploring the outdoors, will connect County residents to regional conservation organizations, feature Earth Day-themed activities, and more!
Participating partners include UCCE Master Gardeners, UCCE Youth Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program, San Bernardino County Regional Parks, Redlands Conservancy, San Bernardino County Vector Control, Rivers & Lands Conservancy, San Bernardino County Public Works Solid Waste Management, California Native Plant Society Riverside/San Bernardino Chapter, Cucamonga Valley Water District, Mojave Desert Land Trust, and more.
The City Nature Challenge is an international celebration of biodiversity in and around urban areas. Normally, cities compete to see who can make the most observations of nature, find the most species, and get the most people involved. It calls on current and aspiring community scientists, nature, science fans, and people of all ages and backgrounds, to observe and submit pictures of wild plants, animals, and fungi using a free mobile app, iNaturalist.
Participation instructions are easy:
- Find wildlife. It can be any wild plant, animal, fungi, slime mold, or any other evidence of life (scat, fur, tracks, shells, carcasses!) found in your neighborhood, home, backyard, or even through your windows. You might be surprised by how many insects thrive in the nooks and crannies around you.
- Take pictures of what you find using iNaturalist mobile app.
- Learn more as your observations are identified.
The City Nature Challenge was founded and is organized by the citizen/community science teams at the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles county. For more information, visit citynaturechallenge.org.
The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional, cultural and natural history and the Museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.
For more information, visit https://museum.sbcounty.gov/ to see the full schedule of activities.