Latest news with #CityNatureChallenge
DW
6 days ago
- Science
- DW
Cape Town residents unite to document urban biodiversity – DW – 06/16/2025
From kelp forests to city gardens, residents of Cape Town have wild-spotted more than 3,500 species in a fun citizen-science challenge that also helps to boost conservation. The City Nature Challenge encourages people of all ages to document local wildlife, helping scientists gather valuable data. In Cape Town, where biodiversity is rich both on land and underwater, the event has become a key part of environmental education. During the four-day challenge, park entry is free, making it accessible to more people. Environmental officers like Myrna Scholtz say the data collected helps monitor species trends and informs conservation efforts. "It helps tremendously," she said, "because you're adding much more than you would on a daily basis." The 2025 challenge saw more than 1,000 participants in Cape Town alone, with more than 3,500 species recorded. From kelp forests teeming with marine life to city gardens buzzing with pollinators, the observations contribute to global research. Biodiversity student Rozanna Queiros highlights how the challenge makes science more inclusive, especially in marine environments that are often out of reach for the average person. Despite rough conditions, divers such as Georgina Jones continue to contribute underwater data year after year. As Cape Town placed 12th globally, with 36,000 observations, the event proved that anyone — from schoolchildren to seasoned researchers — can play a role in protecting nature. And for kids such as Lakeisha, it's more than just science: It's a magical hands-on experience that could inspire a lifetime of environmental stewardship.
DW
6 days ago
- Science
- DW
Cape Town citizens unite to document urban biodiversity – DW – 06/16/2025
The City Nature Challenge encourages people of all ages to document local wildlife, helping scientists gather valuable data. In Cape Town, where biodiversity is rich both on land and underwater, the event has become a key part of environmental education. During the four-day challenge, park entry is free, making it accessible to more people. Environmental officers like Myrna Scholtz say the data collected helps monitor species trends and informs conservation efforts. "It helps tremendously,' she explains, 'because you're adding much more than you would on a daily basis." The 2025 challenge saw over 1,000 participants in Cape Town alone, with more than 3,500 species recorded. From kelp forests teeming with marine life to city gardens buzzing with pollinators, the observations contribute to global research. Biodiversity student Rozanna Queiros highlights how the challenge makes science more inclusive, especially in marine environments that are often out of reach for the average person. Despite rough conditions, divers like Georgina Jones continue to contribute underwater data year after year. As Cape Town placed 12th globally with 36,000 observations, the event proved that anyone — from schoolchildren to seasoned researchers — can play a role in protecting nature. And for kids like Lakeisha, it's more than just science—it's a magical, hands-on experience that could inspire a lifetime of environmental stewardship.
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Science
- New Indian Express
Nature challenge identifies 1,820 taxa in Coimbatore
Sundar Muruganandhan, Coordinator of CNC 2025, said, "The City Nature Challenge is a global initiative designed to bring people closer to nature while promoting citizen science. It encourages individuals from all walks of life to actively participate in documenting biodiversity, serving as a powerful platform to deepen our connection with the natural world and support conservation efforts." "What made this year's event notable was the vibrant participation of students from schools and colleges. Their involvement reflected a growing awareness and interest in biodiversity among youth. Additionally, BioBlitz offers valuable insight into a city's biodiversity and emphasises the importance of preserving natural ecosystems," said S Saravanan of WWF. This collective effort not only strengthened community bonds but also reinforced the city's commitment to conservation and environmental awareness.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
From concrete to canopy: How Noida's Biodiversity Park turned a bird paradise
Noida: The whistling call of a rain quail pierces through the urban cacophony of Sector 91. It's an unlikely sound in this concrete jungle, but one that's becoming increasingly familiar with visitors of the Noida Biodiversity Park, which has emerged as the city's newest hub for bird enthusiasts. "I thought I was imagining it. The rain quail is mostly found in the grasslands. Hearing it here in the middle of high-rises was a pleasant surprise," recalls Afshan Hussain, describing her first encounter with the elusive bird during an evening walk in 2020. Over the past few years, the park has transformed from a simple recreational space to a thriving observation point for winged guests from across borders. Apart from the rain quail, Afshan has spotted several uncommon birds, such as the thick-billed flowerpecker and paradise flycatcher. "The grey-bellied cuckoo is not uncommon in this region, but it is very difficult to find it in the city area. This speaks much about how the habitat has changed. People usually go birding in Dhanauri, Surajpur, or Okhla. But some of us have started visiting this Sector 91 park regularly," she says. Developed by Noida Authority for Rs 37 crore and inaugurated in July 2019, this 110-acre park is the result of meticulous ecological planning. Nestled between the high-rises of Sector 137 and the residential lanes of Sector 93, it offers 70 acres of developed area with cycling tracks, walking trails, gazebos, and a water body. The park's unique feature, however, lies in its scientific design. There are four distinct biomes based on Yamuna floodplain's geology — Kohi (hilly terrain), Bangar (alluvial uplands), Khadar (sandy riverine areas), and Dabar (low-lying floodplains). More than 200 native species of trees, including babool, neem, jamun, wild grasses, and medicinal herbs, have replaced the previous eucalyptus monoculture, creating a haven that now hosts at least 150 varieties of bird. For longtime residents like Afshan, who has lived in nearby Parasnath Srishti for over 15 years, the transformation has been nothing short of remarkable. "Before this park, it was mostly quiet. After the native species were introduced, flora and fauna started to flourish. And the birds followed," she says. Despite established sanctuaries like Okhla and Dhanauri wetlands, the Sector 91 park has carved its own niche. Nisha Rai, a Sector 77 resident, discovered it during a cycling expedition in 2021. "Seeing a peacock casually walking near the forest edge was unexpected in Noida," she says, noting the diverse wildlife from eagles to butterflies. The park has also attracted wildlife observers. Ashir Kumar, a professional photographer from Greater Noida, leads nature walks here, including a recent WWF 'City Nature Challenge'. "Even though it's partially curated, dense patches still harbour thriving wildlife here," he says. Community engagement has flourished too. Bidisha Dutta, a publishing professional, has organised nature walks for children. "The park's layout allows for quiet nature pockets away from the main paths — perfect for educational activities. The kids hunt for their favourite colours, build shapes with twigs and leaves, and experience the ecosystems up close," she tells TOI. Bidisha and her husband hosted 20 Bengali families during a picnic last winter. Challenges, however, persist. The central water body is in dire need of maintenance, while excessive manicuring of certain areas has alarmed birders as well. Tapas Misra, a lawyer and birder, observes, "There are two faces to this park — untouched wilderness and landscaped areas. While it's perfect for beginners, it lacks the ecological balance of a sanctuary." Similarly, Eldeco Utopia resident Tripti Upadhyaya, who has spotted Indian paradise flycatchers, orange-headed thrushes, and taiga flycatchers, rues that the waterbody is often filled with muck and needs to be cleaned regularly. "Excessive pruning is an issue as well. Worms come to tall grass, and birds come for the worms. The more manicured a park is, the less welcoming it is for wildlife," she says. Asked about the upkeep, Anand Mohan, director of horticulture at Noida Authority, says, "We carry out regular maintenance work at the park. All washrooms were revamped recently. Yes, the water level at the pond goes low during summers, but we will make some arrangements using motorised pumps." Despite these concerns, the Sector 91 facility continues to evolve, with plans for a deer park in the pipeline.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Science
- CBS News
San Francisco beats Los Angeles in international City Nature Challenge
Each winter in the town of Princeton-by-the-Sea, south of San Francisco and off the coast of Pillar Point, the massive waves at the legendary Mavericks draw elite surfers from around the world. But what lies hidden beneath these cold waters, where the land meets the Pacific Ocean, is equally jaw-dropping. Seen only at low tide, it's a whole different kind of world teeming with treasure and life. "This place is one of the places that you can come at low tide, and you can see the greatest diversity of life," said Professor Rebecca Johnson. Dr. Johnson is the director of biodiversity and community science at the California Academy of Sciences. Jessica Carver is the associate manager of community service and works with Dr. Johnson at the academy. "Every time is so amazing. It's always so different," Carver remarked as she surveyed the massive reef, with multiple tide pools. Recently, at the crack of dawn, a group including Johnson, Carver, and volunteer community scientist Kristi Brakken gathered in the parking lot at Mavericks Beach to document wildlife and participate in the City Nature Challenge. Joining Brakken was her daughter, Kelly. The City Nature Challenge began 10 years ago as a friendly competition between two cities: San Francisco and Los Angeles. Today, it's an international event that involves almost 670 cities and metro areas across six continents. Johnson is a co-founder. The idea is that volunteers around the world photograph as many wild plants and animals as possible in their own communities, on four designated days. "People have made over seven million observations of nature. This gives us an ongoing annual census of where species are across the globe," Johnson explained. She called the location at Mavericks "magical." "You can see this huge diversity of things: you can see seaweeds, crabs, shrimps, sponges, anemones," she said. There's a lot to look at: 650 different species live in the tide pools alone, including ochre sea stars, crabs, California mussels, and all kinds of barnacles and seaweed. But perhaps the most mesmerizing find is the vibrantly colored creatures known as nudibranchs. "This place is an amazing hot spot for diversity," noted Olivia VanDamme, a community science coordinator with the academy. Kelly came to catch and glimpse and was not disappointed. "This officially has made the trip worthwhile," she said as she pointed at one tiny nudibranch and laughed. Kelly Brakken Armed with smartphones, the team snapped pictures of all the wildlife they saw. On their phones, they downloaded a free special app known as iNaturalist. The app allows all the participants to record their observations. The program identified the species and then tallied and shared their findings with all involved in the challenge. The data is important for scientists who study long-term trends. "It's like an early warning system, often in what is going on in these very delicate ecosystems," Lizzy Edson explained. Edson is the biodiversity data manager for the Center of Biodiversity Sciences at the academy and also works with Johnson. After a few hours, the team noticed the rising tides and realized it was time to wrap up their observations and leave. The Brakkens left with a new appreciation. "With the current changing climate, we don't know how long we'll have the ability to see these creatures and see them prospering unless we can make really rapid changes," Kelly said. "So that we can be more aware and take better care of our earth," added her mom, Kristi. The competition ended on April 28. The winners included La Paz, Bolivia, for the most observations and the most participants; Cochabamba in Central Bolivia recorded the highest number of species; and San Francisco beat L.A. in all three categories: observations, participants, and recorded species. But the biggest winner, according to Johnson, is our understanding of nature where or near people live, which is really important for protecting, understanding, and conserving the world's biodiversity.
