Sustainability

City Nature Challenge

Welcome to the City Nature Challenge 2026 

We ran the first City Nature Challenge for Exeter in 2026! 

Over the weekend of the 24th-27th April 2026, we recorded wildlife in our beautiful city, contributing to one of the biggest community science events in the world. A total of 754 cities took part from 61 countries across 6 continents, over 76,000 species were recorded and over 100,000 people took part!  

We were really proud to make 1533 observations of 507 species! Really importantly, 75% of our records are ‘research grade’ which means that they will find their way into international and national biodiversity recording databases, and can be used by researchers and conservationists to understand and protect wildlife. Eighty-nine species which had not been recorded in Exeter (on iNaturalist) were found.  

We ran 22 events, with 145 attendees, with help from our partners and supporters, as well as the amazing community of people out recording and identifying wildlife. Thanks to everyone who contributed!  

To check out our records, have a look at our project page here.

Nature recording can carry on throughout the year! We are recording our wildlife using iNaturalist - a free recording app available on Android or iOS. We would love for people to carry on making these records, and sharing the amazing wildlife that is found in Exeter. 

Past events schedule 

Friday 24th April 

  • 08:00-09:30 Moth trapping, meet at the Forum, Streatham Campus, https://ex.ac.uk/dZW 
  • 10:30-11:30 Bird walk on campus, meet near the astro turf pitches, Streatham Campus https://bit.ly/4dqj6f5
  • 13:00-14:00 Nature walk on campus, meet at the Forum, Streatham Campus https://bit.ly/47z4gPJ
  • 15:00-16:00 Pond dipping on campus, meet at Amory Building, Streatham Campus https://bit.ly/4bMQaNd
  • 16:30- 17:30 Nature walk in the Lower Hoopern Valley, meet at the accessible path opposite the end of Perry Road https://bit.ly/4v2ALjv
  • 20:00-21:30 Bat walk on Campus, meet outside the Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies https://bit.ly/4v8soml 

 Saturday 25th April 

 Sunday 26th April 

 Monday 27th April

  • 11:00-12:30 Flower visiting insects on campus – next to the small pond at Lafrowda Residences https://ex.ac.uk/dZT 
  • 16:00-17:30 Lichens on Streatham Campus, meet near Reed Hall Car park https://bit.ly/4tFkdMU  

Drop in identification events 

Wednesday 29th April

  • 10:00-14:00 Come and help identify local wildlife from camera trap footage and see which furry visitors have passed by, from shy deer and curious foxes to elusive badgers. We will be in the Forum https://maps.app.goo.gl/dHnVQw2WkzJDHEfR7 (w3w ///goat.medium.limes). No need to book - just come and join us! 

Come and join us looking through the records collected and checking identifications! No need to book just drop in:

  • Thursday 30th April 10:00-14:00 The Forum  
  • Wednesday 6th May 12:00-14:00 Peter Chalk Hub 
  • Thursday 7th May 12:00-14:00 Peter Chalk Hub 

Past events 

  • Tuesday 17th March, 12:30-13:30  Peter Chalk Seminar Room 2.4 – How to use iNaturalist 
  • Tuesday 17th March 17:00 – 18:00 Seminar Room 10 (Forum) – How to use iNaturalist 

Biodiversity Recording Resources

If you’re new to wildlife recording, there are many useful tools and guides to help you get started.

Getting Started with iNaturalist

iNaturalist provides clear guidance for beginners, including how to upload observations and make valuable contributions to biodiversity datasets.

iNaturalist and UK Biological Recording

Many UK recorders use iRecord, but good‑quality iNaturalist observations will also flow into the UK’s national recording databases. More information is available on the iNaturalistUK pages.

To help ensure your observations can be used by the UK’s National Biodiversity Network, guidance on producing high‑quality records is available here.

Tips for Taking Verifiable Wildlife Photos

Some species are easier to identify than others, and each taxonomic group has key features that experts need to see. The resources below explain what to include in your photos:

  • Plants - the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland (BSBI) offers advice on how to take useful plant photographs for identification.
  • Fungi - fungi can be difficult to identify from photos alone, but the RHS "Find a Fungi" project provides helpful guidance.
  • Bumblebees - detailed advice on photographing bumblebees to support accurate identification can be found here.
  • Birds and Mammals - for these groups, sound recordings are often extremely helpful and can be uploaded alongside photos. Tracks and other field signs, such as footprints, can also be recorded if they are clearly identifiable.

 

Local organisers and supporters