Get ready to grab your phone and head outside, because the City Nature Challenge is right around the corner.
Launched in 2016 as a friendly face-off between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the challenge has since grown into the world’s largest wildlife census, inviting people across the globe to document the nature around them.
Lexington is one of hundreds of participating cities in 2026. Here’s how to join:
Get outside + observe | Friday, April 24-Monday, April 27
Snap photos of wild plants, animals, insects, and fungi across the city. To meet requirements, observations must be of organisms that aren’t planted, domesticated, or maintained by people. Not sure where to start? Try a local park.
Upload + identify | Tuesday, April 28-Sunday, May 10
Share your findings on iNaturalist and help identify what the community discovered.
Locally, the effort is supported by groups like Lexington’s Conservation Division and Lexington Living Landscapes. Learn more about how to get involved and make your observations count.
