Victoria, BC — Capital region residents are invited to participate in the City Nature Challenge this weekend, a family-friendly biodiversity celebration running from April 29 to May 2.
The CRD is competing alongside more than 400 urban areas across the world to see how many wild species can be recorded on iNaturalist, a free and simple-to-use app, over a four-day period.
Local families are encouraged to get outside, snap photos and upload observations about the plants, animals and fungi found in their backyards or local watersheds to the Greater Victoria City Nature Challenge iNaturalist project. Participants from the capital region have a chance to win one of three amazing prizes, including a smartphone macro camera lens and native plant identification guides.
In collaboration with community partners, the CRD’s support for the global City Nature Challenge includes a number of outdoor events to encourage people to explore and appreciate the diversity of species and ecosystems that can be found across the capital region:
Observing and learning about the natural world around us is a key step in conserving nature for future generations and creates opportunities for both stewardship activities and positive environmental impacts. The iNaturalist app connects nature lovers to each other and provides a platform to document species observations, seek help identifying species and contribute to data that supports local and global citizen science projects.
Biodiversity is essential to the health and function of ecosystems. The more biodiversity, the more resilient ecosystems will be to changing conditions like climate change. Maintaining a diverse natural environment also helps provide clean air and water, food security, recreational and cultural opportunities, and is key to the health and wellness of our community.
For more information about biodiversity in the region and the 2022 City Nature Challenge, including details about prizes and resources to get started, please visit www.crd.bc.ca/biodiversity.
Proud to be recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers and Canada’s Greenest Employers, the CRD delivers regional, sub-regional and local services to 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Governed by a 24-member Board of Directors, the CRD works collaboratively with First Nations and all levels of government to enable sustainable growth, foster community well-being, and develop cost-effective infrastructure while continuing to provide core services to residents throughout the region. Visit us online at www.crd.bc.ca.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Melanie Tromp Hoover, Communications Supervisor
CRD Environmental Services
Tel: 250.360.3287
Cell: 250.818.1489