City Nature Challenge 2023: Clinch River Valley's Journal

Thank you again for all your help making observations and identifying species for City Nature Challenge! If you haven't already, please take 2-minutes to answer these questions so we can gather your feedback and improve next year's challenge: https://forms.office.com/r/xXPXQg6EPW.

Interested in doing even more? If you want to get updates on local volunteer opportunities and events with The Nature Conservancy in SW Virginia, reach out to Jen Dalke, volunteer program manager at jdalke@tnc.org. Thanks!

@virginiamonica @sandycva @scott_cave @linkelmore @usmcfiremedic @casteel27 @leesalawrence @mykidsared0gs @brandonc31 @cadecampbell @pipsissewa @babeofnature @stan276 @bigz2210 @mattprater @chstudiosnet @grinlies @ttigerstri @jllane @mmkimberly @roderick24 @xander77 @aaron1489 @bhrbabydoc @karalwise @drmutter @nproctorvt @lobstertelephone @gwkmrk0712 @olivia_jackson2 @suzybee3 @sarahlovesva @jbick @fellowferalgardener @claytonthompson1105 @mowens11 @sod_97 @tolleyal @rgolivieri21 @jenn1970 @ghulehx @eseav @msage3251 @amynmann @distractedbyfungi @tingledingleson @brentmeadows @prayinmantis @kowtails @megshort @brianw89 @rosanne8 @botanicaltreasures @ma9ru83r @drforrer @joye @pelessong111 @gardenmoonlight @tanya3

Thank you for being part of the 2023 City Nature Challenge. This was the Clinch River Valley's first year participating in this global event and we're so happy with the results.

We'd love to hear from you about your experience. Please fill out the brief survey (less than 5 minutes to complete) so we can gather your feedback and make next year's event better: https://forms.office.com/r/xXPXQg6EPW

Clinch River Valley Results
*1,182 observations made
*598 species identified
*57 observers

Highlights
*Finished 25th out of 64 similar population-size places for number of species identified
*Finished 30th out of 64 similar population-size places for number of observers
*On average, each person made 20 observations
*38% of observations were research grade. This means 473 observations will contribute to scientific databases and help with scientific research.

Help us win City Nature Challenge.

It's raining (a lot!), but we hope you'll get outside between the drops and make wildlife observations so we can top last year's overall Challenge numbers and set the bar high for the Clinch River Valley's first year participating. This includes the following counties/cities: Bristol, Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Norton, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise

Snap a photo in iNat of that worm on the sidewalk (it counts!) or that dandelion in your yard (it counts!) or the fly in your vehicle (it counts!).

Observations are slowly rolling in already. Will you spread the word and help us? Track progress by joining the project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-clinch-river-valley

All iNaturalist observations from the Clinch River Valley Region will automatically be counted in the Challenge. Results will be finalized on Monday, May 8 so be sure to upload all your observations by then.

Thanks,
Jen Dalke
Volunteer Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy
jdalke@tnc.org

@usmcfiremedic @pipsissewa @cadecampbell @allen_boynton @nyssa_ogeche @virginiamonica @yakfur @theresa2 @dave_logsdon @krechmer @robert1971 @chrissy98 @bmeade00 @chstudiosnet @heatherbunch @myrarose @logster @blackhollow @tysmith @court_84 @tararoselittlefield @distractedbyfungi @brianw89 @joseph92 @nighean-nadair @csholt @sarahlovesva @mcaterino @karounosofsparta @crisritchie @weboflifephotograph @klcordle @fieldwork427 @lbenish @kolbynewsome @mattprater @apriloowho @beschwar @leesalawrence @nick_koenig1 @kaydhow @scott_cave @snakemansm96 @yellowblazer @adriannanelson @pennyflip @rossalleni @kstilwell @mellok @mboller

Hi everyone,
The annual City Nature Challenge is happening this year on April 28 – May 1, 2023. The City Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document what lives in towns and cities across the globe. There are around 485 other towns and cities participating this year so it will be great to see what everyone finds!

I’ve tagged you in this post because you are a top 50 observer in the Abingdon/Bristol/Norton/Grundy area. We’re hoping you’ll participate in this year’s City Nature Challenge. It is top iNat observers like you that will really help push us ahead in number of observations made and species recorded in southwestern Virginia. The easiest way to participate is to make as many iNaturalist observations of as many species as possible in Bristol, Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Norton, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wise counties during April 28 – May 1. Helping with identifications will increase our final species numbers so that’s a great way to participate as well. You can find our City Nature Challenge: Clinch River Valley project here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-clinch-river-valley

The 2023 City Nature Challenge runs from 12:01am on Friday, 4/28 to 11:59pm on Monday, 5/1. All iNaturalist observations from Bristol, Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Norton, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wise counties will automatically be counted towards the Challenge. Results will be announced on Monday, May 8 so be sure to upload all your observations by then. For more information and for a list of events happening across Virginia area during this challenge, please visit our website at https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/events/virginia-city-nature-challenge/

@usmcfiremedic

@pipsissewa

@cadecampbell

@allen_boynton

@nyssa_ogeche
@virginiamonica

@yakfur

@theresa2

@dave_logsdon
@krechmer

@robert1971

@chrissy98

@bmeade00

@chstudiosnet

@heatherbunch

@myrarose

@logster

@blackhollow

@tysmith

@court_84
@tararoselittlefield

@distractedbyfungi

@brianw89

@joseph92

@nighean-nadair

@csholt
@sarahlovesva

@mcaterino

@karounosofsparta

@crisritchie

@weboflifephotography

@klcordle

@fieldwork427

@lbenish

@kolbynewsome

@mattprater

@apriloowho

@beschwar

@leesalawrence

@nick_koenig1
@kaydhow

@scott_cave
@snakemansm96
@yellowblazer

@adriannanelson

@pennyflip

@rossalleni

@kstilwell

@mellok

@mboller