“Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. We share your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe.” — iNaturalist

Ninth grade biology students are on an expedition to discover and track biodiversity on Rye Country Day’s campus. They are using the iNaturalist app, a joint initiative by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society that helps people identify surrounding plants and animals and create research quality data for scientists working to better understand and protect nature.

After taking photos to identify the genus and species of each plant, animal, and insect they discover (and creating an inventory lookbook), the students will combine their photos and data to create a comprehensive census of life at RCDS. The students will also add their specimen photos to the RCDS iNaturalist Citizen Science page. An exciting reminder that scientific discoveries and learning are always within arms reach!