Welcome to the 2023 LA BioBlitz Challenge

Published September 25, 2023

Welcome to the 2023 LA BioBlitz Challenge

For the third year in a row, Angelenos have the chance to help scientists and City officials better understand the amazing biodiversity that calls the City of Angels home. The 2023 LA BioBlitz Challenge (conceived and organized by the Los Angeles Public Library and LA Sanitation and Environment) is a fun community science event that is open to everyone who can wield a smartphone or digital camera. Anywhere in the City of Los Angeles and anytime during the month of October, Angelenos can snap a photo or record a sound of one of our wild neighbors—from butterflies and mushrooms to frogs, birds, and many other creatures. Each photo and sound recording can then be uploaded to the free iNaturalist app and will become a piece of evidence for anyone trying to solve the mysteries of nature in L.A.

New Partners, Bigger Reach

This year some new partners have come on board to grow the challenge—to get more people involved and more wildlife documented. New partners include the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) and City of L.A.’s Department of Recreation & Parks. Rec & Parks joined to help other City departments make the event even bigger and better this year, with over 559 parks covering 16,000 acres of land in the City–it is a lot more land and species included. At the Museum, the Community Science office is helping to connect hundreds of their community scientists and Urban Nature Research Center scientists to the effort. Sam Tayag, Community Science Program Manager from the Museum said, “We’re really excited to help our community scientists and partners join this year’s challenge so we can all contribute to better understanding and protecting nature in Los Angeles.”

Taking Part is Easy 

Complete the Challenge in Four Steps: 

1. Join the LA BioBlitz Challenge 2023 project on iNaturalist (download the free app from Google Play or the App Store.)
2. Upload at least 10 observations total
3. Upload 3 or more observations of indicator species
4. Upload at least 1 observation in a data cold spot 

The heat map above shows observation hot spots in green, and cold spots in white. Help turn the entire map green by uploading observations in data cold spots to iNaturalist.

Click on this heat map to find a place near you that needs observations. Maybe it is your own garden, your schoolyard, or your favorite neighborhood park.

Share your experience by using #LABioBlitz. Once you have completed the four steps, you are eligible to enter a prize drawing! You can take part as a family, with your friends, your classmates, or do it by yourself. If you’re looking to join a program and meet other nature enthusiasts, check out the program calendar for details. We look forward to seeing what nature we find working together.
 

Calendar of LA BioBlitz Challenge 2023 events. Find one near you!