We’re calling on the people of Chester and beyond to take part in an epic nature challenge 24 - 27 April 2026! The City Nature Challenge is a global event where people in hundreds of City Regions worldwide are working together to record as much wildlife as possible. Can you help us put Chester on the map for wildlife?! Watch the video below to find out more.

How do I join in?

• Download the iNaturalist app on your phone, or use the iNaturalist website and make an account.
• Get out and about over the 4 days of the Challenge! Photograph and upload your wildlife observations to iNaturalist. Don't worry if you're not sure of the species, the app has a handy photo recognition function to give you a starting point, plus other observers will help to ID from your photo where possible.
• Follow this guide for how to use the Android app and this guide for how to use the iPhone app.
• Take a look at (and even better join) the Chester Region Project to see how we're doing and find out what others have been spotting in the area.
• You can continue to add sightings from the weekend up until 10 May. Why not also help out with identifying the wildlife people have seen too?
• There's loads more information on the City Nature Challenge and how to use iNaturalist here.

What's happening?

We have LOADS of events running across the City Nature Challenge weekend! Please get in touch with iona@record-lrc.co.uk if you would like to run your own Chester City Nature Challenge event.

Before City Nature Challenge

Friday 24 April

Saturday 25 April

Sunday 26 April

Monday 27 April

After City Nature Challenge

Watch this space for more events!

What happens to the data?

Your uploaded wildlife sightings feed into local and national databases (including our own as a Local Environmental records centre). Records of both common and rare species help us build a picture of how our local wildlife is doing, which helps us understand how to protect it.

* Important note on data sharing * - if you are happy for your iNaturalist observations to be shared with Local Environmental Records Centres such as ourselves, please make sure you share your sightings under an open licence (CC0). More info on this here.

Top tips for using iNaturalist

• Make sure you make an account and sign in. Check you are signed in by looking for your username at the top of the menu. All you need to make an account is an email address and password. Whilst it is possible to use the app without signing in, your observations will remain on your phone and will not count towards our total.
• Allow the app to use your location. 'While using the app' is fine. This means that iNaturalist automatically locates where you've observed something. It is possible to manually add a location instead, but this is not recommended as it is very time consuming and difficult to do 'in the field'.
• Photographic (or sound) evidence is important. Observations on iNaturalist can't make 'research grade' (and therefore don't normally get passed on to Records Centres) unless they have at least one photo or sound recording of the species. If possible, multiple photos are better, especially if you can get different angles or viewpoints as this all helps with identification.
• You don't necessarily need to know what it is. Although you can add your own identification to records on the app, it doesn't matter if you don't know what it is. The app has an automatic photo-recognition feature which will give you some possible suggestions of species, but if you're still not sure it's fine to upload something like 'plant', 'bird' or even 'animal'. iNaturalist is an online community and this means that other people can take a look at what you've seen and help you identify it.
• Check your license settings. In order for iNaturalist records to be useful to Local Environmental Records Centre's such as ourselves they need to be uploaded under an open licence. Open your account settings on the iNaturalist website and go to 'content and display' then choose 'CC0' for your observation license. You can license the photos themselves separately however you wish - it is only the observation license that we need to be open. Find out how to do this here.
• Make sure you are uploading your records. It is possible to save observations to your phone and upload them later (this can be very useful for saving battery and internet when out and about). However make sure you remember to upload your observations when you get home (and by 10 May at the latest).

Who is running the City Nature Challenge?

The Chester Region City Nature Challenge is being organised by RECORD and Chester Zoo, but we are working with lots of brilliant local partners. The global challenge is organised by Natural History Museum Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences.

What if I don't want to use the app?

If you still want your observations to count towards our total but do not want to use the app yourself, send us your photos and some information in an email and the RECORD team will upload your data to the app on your behalf. Click here for more information.

Where can I find out more?

Click the links below for more information.

Can I do this with my organisation or group?

Yes! We are already working with a number of fabulous local partner organisations to promote the City Nature Challenge and run events and we would love for other groups to get involved. For example schools, 'Friends' groups, charities, companies and other community groups. We have a handbook and graphics which we can share with you and can also help promote any linked events. Please get in touch with iona@record-lrc.co.uk for more information.

Chester City Nature Challenge banner graphics by Chester National Park City Group.

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