Started in 2016 as a friendly citizen science competition between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the City Nature Challenge is now an international effort for people like you to help document wildlife in over 500 cities across the globe. Starting April 28th and lasting through May 1st, all submissions via the iNaturalist app will go towards Chattanooga’s numbers in the challenge! Last year, Chattanooga had over 3,000 submissions to the challenge with 1,100 species observed. Let’s smash those records!

It’s easy to participate; all you do is find and photograph or record wild plants and animals in your backyards or other green spaces using the iNaturalist app. Want to learn how to use iNaturalist before the challenge so you can compete? Sign up for a Tech Trek with us April 8th or 15th! Don’t worry, though. We will be providing training on using iNaturalist April 28th and 29th as well.

No sign-up needed for April 28th and 29th. See you there!

Schedule of Events for Friday, April 28

• 4:00pm-5:00pm iNaturalist Training

  • We will introduce you to the iNaturalist app and participation in the City Nature Challenge! All you need is a phone and keen observational skills; we’ll handle the rest.

• 5:00pm-6:00pm iNaturalist Training

  • We will introduce you to the iNaturalist app and participation in the City Nature Challenge! All you need is a phone and keen observational skills; we’ll handle the rest.

• 7:00pm-8:00pm Nature's Golden Hour

  • We’ll search the forest for crepuscular creatures, or those active at dusk. We will look for tracks and scat, listen for frogs, and maybe catch a glimpse of a foraging deer or turkey.

• 8:00pm-9:00pm Blacklighting for Bugs

  • Let’s go sky fishing! We will set up a blacklight and wait for the nocturnal mayhem to begin. Blacklights attract all sorts of insects and predators like toads and spiders. If you have never been blacklighting before, this should not be missed!

• 9:00pm-10:00pm Owl Prowl

  • Look and listen for the different species of owls that call Reflection Riding home. These raptors are reclusive, heavily camouflaged, and hard to find among the trees, but we’ll do our best to draw them out of their hiding spots.

    Schedule of Events for Saturday, April 29

• 8:00am-12:00pm Bird Banding with Dr. David Aborn

  • Dr. David Aborn from UTC will be on the property catching, banding, and releasing songbirds from the wetlands and forests at Reflection Riding. Dr. Aborn will explain his methods and procedures for documenting individual birds in our area. You’ll get to see the birds up close and maybe even get to release one for him!

• 9:00am-10:00am Waking Up with the Birds

  • A must for bird lovers! Songbirds are most active in the morning and our property will be full of different species looking for breakfast. We will observe a plethora of wild birds. The early bird gets the worm! 

• 11:00am-12:00pm iNaturalist Training

  • We will introduce you to the iNaturalist app and participation in the City Nature Challenge! All you need is a phone and keen observational skills; we’ll handle the rest.

• 1:00pm-2:00pm Plant Identification

  • If you ever wanted to take a college-level botany course in one hour, this is the event for you! One of our naturalists will be on hand to document all the trees, flowers, shrubs, and vines we possibly can.

• 2:00pm-3:00pm Pond Life

  • Roll up your sleeves and help us sample a fascinating array of larvae, fish, insects, spiders, and other creatures of the pond! We will provide nets and catch-buckets and you do the rest. This is a fan favorite with kids!

• 5:00pm-6:00pm iNaturalist Training

  • We will introduce you to the iNaturalist app and participation in the City Nature Challenge! All you need is a phone and keen observational skills; we’ll handle the rest.

• 7:00pm-8:00pm Nature's Golden Hour

  • We’ll search the forest for creatures active at dusk. We will look for tracks and scat, listen for frogs, and maybe catch a glimpse of a foraging deer or turkey.

• 8:00pm-9:00pm Blacklighting for Bugs

  • Let’s go sky fishing! We will set up a blacklight and wait for the nocturnal mayhem to begin. Blacklights attract all sorts of insects and predators like toads and spiders. If you have never been blacklighting before, you should definitely check this out!

• 9:00pm-10:00pm Owl Prowl

  • We will look and listen for the different species of owls that call Reflection Riding home. These raptors are reclusive, heavily camouflaged, and hard to find among the trees, but we’ll do our best to draw them out of their hiding spots.