Put your smartphone to good use and help track nature.For the second consecutive year, San Luis Obispo County will take part in the City Nature Challenge (CNC), a global citizen science initiative that invites anyone with a smartphone to help document local wildlife. This year’s observation window runs April 24–27, followed by an identification period from April 28 through May 10.
The City Nature Challenge began in 2016 as a friendly competition between the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and the California Academy of Science. It has since grown into a worldwide movement, with hundreds of cities and regions participating each year. During a four-day window at the end of April, community members use the free iNaturalist app to photograph and log as many wildlife observations as possible, including plants, animals, fungi, and more (domestic animals excluded).
“Research shows that bioblitzes like the CNC give local governments a cost-effective way to build real biodiversity data, illuminating understudied groups like insects and fungi, informing land management decisions, strengthening community stewardship, and supporting evidence-based policy,” officials said in a news release.
This year’s effort is coordinated by a coalition of local organizations:
• Pismo Beach Stewardship and Educational Outreach Program / Pismo Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau
• Morro Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP)
• San Luis Obispo Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS-SLO)
• California Central Coast Chapter of The Wildlife Society (CCCC TWS)
Together, these organizations are bringing programming to communities across the county for the second year of SLO County’s participation in the challenge.
The Central Coast is home to overwintering Monarch butterflies, nesting snowy plovers, native bunchgrasses, and an extraordinary range of pollinators, many of which are poorly documented in scientific literature. The City Nature Challenge gives everyday residents the tools to change that. Every photo submitted through iNaturalist becomes a verified, permanent record that researchers, land managers, and conservation planners can draw on for years to come. For a region navigating habitat loss, drought, and wildfire recovery, that kind of community-generated data isn’t just interesting, it’s actionable.
In 2025, SLO County’s first year of participation, the challenge produced impressive results with 5,261 observations, 1,345 species, 532 identifiers, and 221 observers.
In-Person Events
Community events are planned for the weekend. More details on all of these events will be posted on the SLO County CNC project journal page.
Fire Scar Hike Saturday, April 25 – Time TBD
Led by Kristen Nelson of CNPS-SLO, this moderate-to-hard hike explores fire-affected landscapes and the wildlife rebounding within them. Details and meeting location to be announced. Check the SLO County CNC project journal page for updates.
Pismo Beach Earth Day – Saturday, April 25, 12 – 2 p.m., Pismo Beach Pier
Join Emma Rhoads from the Pismo Beach Stewardship and Educational Outreach Program for an Earth Day celebration that doubles as a CNC observation event. Families and first-time iNaturalist users are especially welcome.
Paso Robles BioBlitz – Sunday, April 26, 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Paso Robles
Join The Land Conservancy of SLO and Team Learning Among the Oaks to participate in a guided bioblitz in the heart of Paso Robles. This free event includes guided instruction and lunch. RSVP on Eventbrite.
You don’t need to attend an in-person event to take part. Participation is open to everyone, wherever you are:
• Download the free iNaturalist app (iOS or Android).
• Search for and join the “City Nature Challenge 2026: San Luis Obispo County” project.
• Between April 24–27, photograph any wild plant, animal, or fungi you encounter — in your backyard, neighborhood, or out on the trail.
• From April 29 to May 10, help identify observations submitted by others. If you have expertise in birds, plants, insects, or any other group, your identifications make the dataset more valuable for researchers and land managers alike.
All planned events and tips will be posted on the SLO County CNC project journal page at: inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2026-san-luis-obispo-county.
Learn more about the global challenge at: citynaturechallenge.org.
