Join the Oxfordshire City Nature Challenge 2026

In this special guest blog, we welcome writer Filipa McGuinness from Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC), a key member of our WISH Partnership. We are thrilled to support incredible initiatives, like the City Nature Challenge, that connect people to nature and to each other throughout Oxfordshire.

Next month brings the return of the City Nature Challenge, a global celebration of wildlife recording that welcomes people of all backgrounds and abilities to connect with nature, observe the world around them, and document local wildlife. 

Whether you are a seasoned recorder, someone who loves wildlife, or simply curious to learn more about the nature around you, we at the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) are excited to be hosting the City Nature Challenge 2026 from Friday 24^th to Monday 27^th April across Oxfordshire and Berkshire. This challenge encourages people of all ages to observe and record wildlife in their local areas, and we need your help to make it a success!

What is the City Nature Challenge? 

The City Nature Challenge began in 2016 as a friendly competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco, to see which city could gather the most wildlife observations in just four days. It has since grown into a major international event, organised by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences. The City Nature Challenge is not limited to cities; it is a global initiative that encourages participation from residents in over 650 cities across the world, to document nature in cities and their surrounding areas.

Participants use the free iNaturalist app or website to record and identify wild plants, animals, fungi, and evidence of wildlife. Each observation contributes to an ever-growing global biodiversity dataset.

What’s new in 2026?

This year, the City Nature Challenge is placing a stronger focus on high quality data. While City Nature Challenge continues to inspire people to connect with nature, it also plays a crucial role in generating wildlife observations that support scientific research and efforts to address biodiversity loss.

To make sure the data collected is as useful as possible, this year the City Nature Challenge will not accept “casual” observations. This includes captive or cultivated organisms (such as garden plants, pets, or zoo animals), observations that are missing key details (like the date, location, or photographic evidence), and any records that have been incorrectly labelled.

Only wild observations will count toward Oxfordshire’s totals. This change helps ensure that scientists, ecologists and land managers receive reliable information that can inform habitat management, species conservation and policy decisions. By focusing on wild observations, your contributions will have an even greater impact.

Why take part?

Engaging in nature-related activities offers amazing benefits! Not only do you enjoy the physical perks of being active outdoors, but there’s also substantial evidence that spending time in nature enhances mental health and overall wellbeing. By taking part in the City Nature Challenge, you’ll have a wonderful chance to connect with the environment, discover local wildlife, and contribute to vital scientific research. Your observations will generate essential species data, aiding this global initiative and supporting TVERC in collecting information on Oxfordshire’s biodiversity. This data can play a crucial role in guiding conservation efforts and shaping environmental policies. Plus, it’s a delightful and educational experience for individuals, families, and groups alike!

How to participate

Getting involved is easy! From Friday 24^th to Monday 27^th April, simply venture outdoors and capture photos of wildlife you see. It could be wild plants, animals, fungi, or any evidence of wildlife, such as tracks. Upload your pictures and their locations to the iNaturalist using the app (which is free on both iOS and Android) or the website, and just like that, you become a citizen scientist! 

One of the most exciting aspects of the Challenge is that, in addition to documenting familiar wildlife like pigeons, iNaturalist assists you in identifying new species and connects you with a community of nature enthusiasts ready to help. How often have you come across something and wondered, “What is that?” or “Check out that cool insect!”? Don’t let your curiosity stop you: embrace it! Your contributions are not only enjoyable but also meaningful and impactful. So, take a moment to notice nature and share your sightings! 

Identifying and verifying 

This year, the identification window has been extended from six days to thirteen.  From Tuesday 28^th April to Sunday 10^th May, experts and fellow enthusiasts will work together to examine the observations submitted across Oxfordshire. This longer period offers a great opportunity to look more closely at your own findings, learn from others, and discover more about the species you recorded. 

If you would like guidance on the identification process, iNaturalist provides a helpful guide here.

You can track Oxfordshire’s progress on the City Nature Challenge 2026: Oxfordshire project page. The global results will be unveiled on Wednesday 13^th May 2026.

Understanding the importance of correct license settings 

When you upload your observations to iNaturalist, it’s essential to choose the right license settings for your photos and data. Proper license settings facilitate data sharing, allowing researchers, conservationists, and organisations like TVERC and National Recording Schemes to access accurate information for informed decision-making. Observations with the correct license settings are also more likely to achieve “Research Grade” status, enhancing their value for scientific studies and biodiversity databases. Watch the Bristol Natural History Consortium 1 min video on how to change your licencing settings.

Join TVERC for two Noticing Nature events

To help people get involved in this year’s City Nature Challenge, we are kicking off our 2026 Noticing Nature programme with two special events. These sessions are open to everyone and are perfect for beginners. We’ll show you how to use the iNaturalist app and then take you around to try it out yourself.

We will be joining the Friends of Aston’s Eyot & the Kidneys on Friday 24th April, 10am–12pm. Book your place: https://tinyurl.com/9x9bnh83

We will then host a second event at Iffley Meadows on Monday 27th April, 10am–2pm. Book your place: https://tinyurl.com/4nb98vry 

If you are part of an organisation, community group or simply an enthusiastic individual, we would love for you to host your own City Nature Challenge wildlife recording activity between Friday 24th– Monday 27th April. This could be as simple as planning a group walk through your local green space and photographing any wildlife you encounter. If you already have an event taking place that weekend, you might consider adding a short City Nature Challenge recording session to it.

If you are planning something, or if you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you at tverc@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Stay connected

No matter how you decide to get involved, you’ll surely enjoy the benefits of spending time in nature. You might even stumble upon something fascinating! Here’s a fun challenge for you: aim to spot at least five new species on your next outing. Whether it’s a striking flower, an intriguing insect, or a rare bird, snap a picture and share it on the iNaturalist app. Let’s make this year’s City Nature Challenge the best one yet for Oxfordshire.

For further details and updates, check out our City Nature Challenge project page and visit www.citynaturechallenge.org.uk. We’ll be providing tips, resources, and information about upcoming events to ensure you get the most out of the challenge.

Oxfordshire City Nature Challenge is supported by the National Lottery Community Fund’s WISH Partnership.