Rock River Valley City Nature Challenge
Residents of Roscoe and Rockton can help document local wildlife at four nature preserves and learning centers.
Rock River Valley City Nature Challenge is part of an international competition between cities to document wildlife- including plants, animals, and fungi- on iNaturalist, a free, fun, and easy to use app and website. Thousands of people in 400 cities across 6 continents will contribute important data to real science. Locations across Winnebago and Boone counties will participate, including Kieselburg Forest Preserve, Nygren Wetland Preserve, Hononegah Forest Preserve, and Angelic Organics Learning Center.
City Nature Challenge: Kieselburg Forest Preserve Nature Exploration
Saturday May 1 2021 10:00am
Have you ever walked over a calcareous seep? Learn what this is and so much more when you join Severson Dells Nature Center Natural Resource Americorps Member Shae Morelock for this fun experience. Make an iNaturalist account before coming, bring a phone or camera, and come ready to take photos of the amazing plants and animals you will encounter along the way.
https://www.seversondells.com/events/cnc2021kieselburg
Kieselburg Forest Preserve
5801 Swanson Road
Roscoe, IL 61073
City Nature Challenge: Nygren Wetland Preserve Nature Bioblitz
Saturday May 1 2021 10:00am
Join staff and volunteers to take a walk around the preserve to find and document the spectacular wildlife (fauna, flora or fungus) of Nygren Wetland Preserve.
Use the iNaturalist app with your mobile device to take a photo of each species you would like to document. The more entries the better. This is also a challenge to get the most species documented by the most people in a community to win bragging rights!
Sandhill Cranes, Great Blue Herons, Ospreys, Pelicans, Beavers, Turtles, and many other creatures call this wetland home. The flora of this preserve include native prairie wildflowers and grasses, upland and bottomland forest species, as well as plants found in wetland habitats. Many types of birds, butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies, bumble bees, and other insects can be found here. Your help documenting the species living and visiting Nygren Wetland Preserve will help inform NLI’s land stewardship staff and future management practices.
You can hike the trail on your own or join staff or a volunteer to lead you on a trail. Meet by the red barn at 3190 W. Rockton Rd. (Rockton, IL 61072) at 10 a.m. to start your hike and be back by 12:00 p.m./noon. Take your mobile device with a camera and be sure to download the iNaturalist app on it (and create your account) before you start. Please bring a mask to wear when social distancing isn’t possible. Because of continued COVID-19 gathering restrictions registrations will be limited to 30 people.
Registration is required for this free event.
https://www.naturalland.org/event/nygren-wetland-bioblitz/
Nygren Wetland Preserve
3190 W. Rockton Rd.
Rockton, IL 61072
Angelic Organics Learning Center
Saturday May 1 2021 10:00am
Join our volunteer restoration team on Saturday, May 1st from 10am-12pm and help us take part in the annual City Nature Challenge. We'll learn how to use iNaturalist to take and tag pictures on our smart phone, then take a hike through our natural area in search of plants and animals to record and share. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy after the hike. If you're up for the challenge stay for the volunteer work day from 12pm to 4pm..
This is a free event. But please register for each person attending, so we know how many participants to expect.
While this is a family friendly event, our volunteer work days are best suited for children 12 and up.
https://www.learngrowconnect.org/city-nature-challenge.html
Angelic Organics Learning Center Lodge
1936 Rockton Rd.
Caledonia, IL 61101
City Nature Challenge: Hononegah Forest Preserve Nature Exploration
Monday May 3 2021 10:00am
Stands of white pine, maples, and white oak make Hononegah a stunning woodland preserve to explore! Join Severson Dells Nature Center Natural Resource Americorps Member Shae Morelock for this fun experience. Make an iNaturalist account before coming, bring a phone or camera, and come ready to take photos of the amazing plants and animals you will encounter along the way.
Free, registration required.
https://www.seversondells.com/events/cnc2021hononegah
Hononegah Forest Preserve
80 Hononegah Rd
Rockton, IL 61072
