Join the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society to learn about and identify invasive and native species in the Hoy Creek Linear Park.
This is a free drop-in event between 9 and 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 29 at the Hoy Creek Hatchery.
Starting at the Hoy Creek Hatchery, you will learn about native and invasives species that benefit or challenge the local ecosystem and therefore benefit or challenge the health of our streams, which are home to salmon. Then head out into the Linear Park to explore on your own and use the iNaturalist app on your cell phone to take photos and record.
The Society joins the City of Coquitlam as it collaborates with the City of Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, other local stewardship groups, institutions and Metro Vancouver Parks to host free events and activities as part of the City Nature Challenge (CNC), a friendly global competition that encourages people to find and document wildlife in their cities.
The Tri-Cities will compete with communities around the world to gather the most observations about nature, find the most species and engage the most people from Apr. 28 to May 1 through the iNaturalist app.
You can always take part in this on your own. Just download the app and head out into nature to explore and document plants, animals and other organisms. Open to everyone, members can browse nearby posts, upload their own images and audio recordings, and receive feedback and information from the iNaturalist community.
To have your observations counted for the Tri-Cities in this year’s City Nature Challenge:
Go to inaturalist.org or download the free iNaturalist app from the App Store or Google Play and create an account.
From April 29 to May 2, click Observe on the app or Add Observations on the website to add observations of any wild living or dead organism you see in the Tri-Cities – including plants, animal, birds, fungi, etc. – or evidence of them, such as shells, feathers or scat.
Observations may include descriptions, uploaded photos, or photo or audio recordings through the app. Photos should be clear and full-frame.
Visit the CNC FAQ page at citynaturechallenge.org for detailed instructions and tips for making eligible observations.