By Kelli Nesbitt, Parks & Recreation Marketing Coordinator
Thousands of plant and animal species live in the Brazos Valley, yet many remain undocumented, making it challenging for scientists and residents to understand our local biodiversity fully.
The worldwide City Nature Challenge, set for April 24–27, helps address that knowledge gap by inviting people to document wildlife and contribute to a shared scientific record. Helping is as easy as taking photos and recording the sounds to hear with your phone or camera.
The College Station Parks and Recreation Department joins the effort through the Brazos Valley City Nature Challenge. Residents across Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Lee, Madison and Robertson counties are encouraged to document local wildlife using the free iNaturalist app.
The community science teams at the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County lead the event, which spans more than 700 cities across multiple countries. It brings communities together to document biodiversity and support conservation research.
Participating is simple: Download the iNaturalist app, create an account and begin recording what you see or hear outdoors. Observations can be made in backyards, neighborhoods, parks and natural areas throughout the Brazos Valley.
For hands-on support, visit the Gary Halter Nature Center from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. during the challenge for app guidance and identification tips from trained staff.
Free BioBlitz event on April 25
The City Nature Challenge begins locally with Bio Blitz, a hands-on community event at Lick Creek Park hosted in partnership with the Society for Conservation Biology Texas A&M Chapter and local naturalist teams.
The free, all-ages event is Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m.-noon. Visitors can follow experts as they survey plants and animals, explore interactive booths and learn how biodiversity data supports conservation work. Parking will be available at the Gary Halter Nature Center with additional spaces at the equestrian lot.
The challenge has two phases:
Observation Phase (April 24–27)
Participants take photos or record sound clips of wild plants, animals, and fungi anywhere in the six-county region – even with your phone. If an organism is cared for (pet, livestock or zoo animal) or planted or actively managed, it should be marked in the app as cultivated.
Every observation builds a clearer picture of local biodiversity. Common roly-polies, tiny tree lichens, or nesting groups of bald eagles or Swainson’s warblers are all important!
Identification Phase (April 28–May 10)
Community members, naturalists, and scientists will review and identify the observations collected during the first phase. Anyone with an iNaturalist account can participate by suggesting identifications, confirming species, and helping refine existing records. No extensive knowledge of animal IDs is necessary; you can move unknown pictures into a plant or animal category.
The second phase is essential because it turns observations into accurate scientific data. Each identification improves data quality, and even a few minutes of participation can strengthen the overall dataset. Broader participation leads to more reliable results and a more complete understanding of local biodiversity.
Each observation helps scientists and conservationists better understand species distributions and how urban environments support biodiversity. Together, these contributions create a growing global dataset that informs research and conservation decisions, and focused research is needed.
For more information, visit cstx.gov/CityNatureChallenge or call 979-764-6216.
About the Blogger
Kelli Nesbitt has served the Parks & Recreation Department for 19 years, including 12 years as marketing coordinator. She also served 1.5 years as the marketing and community engagement specialist for the City of Bryan from 2023-25. A Bryan native, Nesbitt earned a bachelor’s degree in health & kinesiology from Sam Houston State.
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