EXPLORE iNat content before the CNC and try your hand at using the IDENTIFY tool

For many iNatters in the Atlantic Provinces 2024 will not be their first year participating in the City Nature Challenge. In fact, this is the 6th year that HRM has been registered!

In preparation for the upcoming event, it would be useful to browse observations posted from past events. Were most of the observations identified by the community?

A quick review shows that only 45-59% of the observations uploaded in the past have made it to Research Grade level.
2023: 15642 56.7% https://inaturalist.ca/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-the-maritimes-atlantic-umbrella-project?tab=stats
2022:11,769 52.04% https://inaturalist.ca/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022-the-maritimes-atlantic-umbrella-project?tab=stats
2021: 11,722 59.29% https://inaturalist.ca/projects/city-nature-challenge-2021-the-maritimes-umbrella-project?tab=stats
2020:10,518 45.7% https://inaturalist.ca/projects/city-nature-challenge-2020-the-maritimes-umbrella-project?tab=stats
2019:7,645 48.07% (HRM only) https://inaturalist.ca/projects/city-nature-challenge-2019-halifax-regional-municipality?tab=stats
Why is this number so low? Is it possible to go back and review content and increase the percentage? (before the next CNC starts on April 26)

Could notes be compiled as to why content could not be identified with the hope that these points could be addressed before the next CNC? Example:

• features required to facilitate ID not provided
• observations were of taxa that require more than a photo to assign species name
• photos/sound recordings were of poor quality
• observations were of captive animals/pets or of cultivated plants

If you are looking for a pre-CNC activity look no further – help change the past RG stats before the 2024CNC starts! Practice using the iNat Identify feature. Remember that one can assist with the ID process by simply adding a high rank name or by adding an attribute – this may bring observations to the attention of taxonomic experts who can suggest names. You don't need to be an expert to help review iNat observations.

Create a personal list of goals. Challenge others!

• Watch the iNat Help tutorial
• Add broad IDs to 5 unknowns
• ID a common, easy species
• ID an observation from your province
• ID your provincial wildflower
• Add an annotation – dead|footprint|scat|egg
• Mark a plant captive
• ID an observation made on your birthday
• ID an observation from a previous City Nature Challenge or local event
• Refine an observation that is currently at Kingdom level
• ID a bird or mammal
• Add an ID to a plant
• Add an observation to a project (perhaps add an attribute that will automatically add obs to project. Example evidence=feathers)
• Mark an animal captive
• Add an annotation to a plant that is in bud, or flowering
• ID an observation from another country (or province in Canada)
• ID an observation at least 1 year old

Plan to help review observations uploaded to iNaturalist during the 2024 CNC. Observations may be identified up until Sunday, May 5th. Global stats will be announced May 6th. Observations may be reviewed and identification improved after that date but the CNC results won’t change.

NOTE: Don't add IDs just for the sake of increasing your Identification stats AND if an observation has already been identified down to a specific rank but you don't know that taxon don't suggest a higher taxonomic level - skip to the next observation and keep skipping until you find one to which you can add value. Use common sense.

Posted on March 26, 2024 03:33 PM by mkkennedy