Spring is coming - join us as a community scientist

After the cold and wet winter we’ve been experiencing in Denver, I know everyone is looking forward to spring. As the days grow longer and warmer, we all start looking for the telltale signs that spring is arriving — birds chirping, trees lea ng out, lilac buds, bulbs emerging out of the damp soil. As you observe nature around you, why not start taking pictures, recording your observations and contributing to large projects as a community scientist? April is the perfect month to join community science e orts across the globe.

At the Denver Botanic Gardens, we seek to connect people with plants. Our scientists are particularly interested in studying patterns and processes of biodiversity. One way we do this is through community science (also known as citizen science) initiatives such as the Denver EcoFlora project. ese initiatives allow participants to connect with plants by making observations of biodiversity patterns in their environment. EcoFlora is based on the traditional ora concept, a list or inventory of plants in a given area or period of time. e eco in EcoFlora represents going beyond a traditional ora and encompassing the study of urban ecosystems. We run the Denver EcoFlora project on the iNaturalist platform where we engage the community in documenting plants living in the Denver metro area. Our goal is to document all plants living in the seven county metro area (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broom eld, Denver, Douglas and Je erson counties) using the iNaturalist app. Why? You may ask.

Well, understanding the ora of an area is the best way to protect it.

As part of the EcoFlora project, we send out monthly challenges called EcoQuests to engage participants in documenting a speci c species, group of plants or theme.

April’s EcoQuest has two parts: the rst is focused on some of the rst owers to emerge in spring, the pasque owers (Pulsatilla nutalliana). en, starting April 28, a global competition begins with the start of the City Nature Challenge

- a challenge to document the most biodiversity within cities. Using the iNaturalist app, you can make observations of any wild organism: plant, bird, insect, fungi. Observations made between April 28 and May 1 count towards the competition. Last year, we had nearly 400 participants observe more than 600 species. Our goal is to surpass those numbers this year. And, if the wet winter unfolds into a sunny spring, we just might be able to do it. Many local partners are organizing hikes or bioblitzes during the City Nature Challenge. Check our website (botanicgardens. org/science-research/citizen-science-programs/ city-nature-challenge) for details on events and how to register.

You can contribute to scienti c studies by downloading the iNaturalist app and using it to take photos of the nature around you. We encourage you to get outside, feel the sun on your face and contribute to science while you’re out there.

Denver Botanic Gardens Citizen Science projects: botanicgardens.org/science-research/ citizen-science-programs

Denver EcoFlora project: inaturalist.org/projects/denver-eco ora-project

Denver Botanic Gardens City Nature Challenge information: Denver-Boulder Metro City Nature Challenge: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ city-nature-challenge-2023-denver-bouldermetro

Jennifer Neale is the director of research and conservation for the Denver Botanic Gardens