Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
For help using iNaturalist, you can visit the iNaturalist Tutorial Page or watch a video tutorial from Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy HERE.
You can also watch this video from the Alamo Area Master Naturalists.
All observations that are made within the San Antonio Metro Area boundary (12 counties: Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Gillespie, Goliad, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Wilson) between April 25 and April 28, 2025, will automatically count towards the City Nature Challenge.
While you do not need to add your observations to the local iNaturalist project in order for them to be counted, if you do join the project, you’ll get notifications about News Posts (via the Bioblitz Journal Notes) that are made. The project will also be listed on each of your observations that are added to it.
The San Antonio Metro Area includes 12 counties: Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Gillespie, Goliad, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Wilson.
Our area also includes Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Lost Maples State Natural Area, and Palmetto State Park.
Any observations of WILD plants, animals, fungi, seaweed, bacteria, lichen, etc. you find in and around San Antonio! Observations of living or dead organisms, or evidence of those organisms, like shells, tracks, scat, feathers, etc., are fine. Remember to make sure you’re taking good photos of the organisms!
Want to focus your observations more? Keep an eye out for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), which are vulnerable species designated in Texas’ Conservation Action Plan as most in need of conservation action.
The full SGCN list can be found HERE.
A good observation includes three elements:
1. Clear Photos – Take sharp, well-lit photos that focus on your subject. If possible, capture multiple angles (e.g., leaves, flowers, bark for plants; top and side views for insects).
2. Distinctive Features – Zoom in to show distinctive features like colors, patterns, shapes, or textures. For small organisms, get as close as your camera allows while keeping the subject in focus.
3. Accurate Location – Make sure your phone or camera GPS is on so the observation is recorded with the correct location.
Checking captive / cultivated means that the observation is of an organism that exists in the time and place it was observed because humans intended it to be then and there. Likewise, wild / naturalized organisms exist in particular times and places because they intended to do so (or because of intention of another wild organism). The main reason we try to mark things like this is because iNat is primarily about observing wild organisms, not animals in zoos, garden plants, specimens in drawers, etc., and our scientific data partners are often not interested in (or downright alarmed by) observations of captive or cultivated organisms.
For more information, check out our presentation HERE.
Embark on a delightful iNaturalist adventure with our “Fun Bingo” designed for novice users. Simply download the PDF sheet and let it be your guide in making iNaturalist observations. Check off the boxes as you make each observation.
Your hours should be logged into VMS in the following way:
FR: iNaturalist Observations: TMN Field Research Hours
Sample Description: Participated in the City Nature Challenge 2025 Bioblitz at (NAME OF PARK OR NATURAL AREA), sponsored by (NAME OF SPONSOR). Includes (NUMBER OF) minutes travel time.