Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the City Nature Challenge! Read the information below and then fill out the interest form at the bottom of the page.
We would love for some nature-loving Macaulay students to build on their BioBlitz experience by signing up to help get the public to participate. The CNC is like a Macaulay BioBlitz that we can give to the whole city every spring. Don’t worry if you are a first year student and haven’t done the BioBlitz yet; the CNC will be great preparation for that in the fall! This opportunity is also available to currently enrolled CUNY students. Contact Dr. Kelly O’Donnell (kelly.odonnell@mhc.cuny.edu) if you have any questions.
The goal of the CNC is to get the public to observe and appreciate the nature that surrounds us in our urban habitat. As a volunteer, you will be trained to help people participating in the event to use the free app, iNaturalist, to make high quality ecological observations. iNaturalist is the app we use at the annual BioBlitz. You will get community service credit for the time you spend helping the public become citizen scientists!
Training will consist of two parts: one part you can finish on your own (you’ll be emailed this task) and one part that we will do together (a virtual training session). Then, you will have to attend at least one of the City Nature Challenge events. There will be one or two positions that can be done remotely. Events may happen before CNC (public iNaturalist trainings) or during the days of the CNC. The City Nature Challenge takes place over four days in the spring: Friday, April 24 through Monday, April 27, 2026.
We can’t wait to have you join us!
Thank you for your interest in the City Nature Challenge volunteering opportunity. The training period has already begun, so we are no longer able to take new signups. We hope to see you next year!
