Join us and our partners for a weeklong celebration of California Biodiversity Day, September 5 – 13.
As Californians already know, we live in one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth. That’s thanks in large part to our amazing biodiversity. In fact, our state is the most biodiverse in the continental United States.
It’s one way to describe the incredible variety of life on our planet, from Mountain Lions to Millipedes and even tiny organisms we can’t see. "The term biodiversity (from "biological diversity") refers to the variety of life in a particular place. Though often measured as the number of species, it can be applied at various scales from genes to species to ecosystems. Think of our varied iconic landscapes in California and the multiple ecosystems within each type. Then imagine all the plants and animals that each ecosystem supports, with each population containing a diverse gene pool." (From the California Biodiversity Fact Sheet.)
Documenting this plant and animal diversity helps us better understand how healthy our environment is—it is what The Nat does, and we need your help.
Get involved with one of our many projects documenting local plants and animals using iNaturalist. There is even a special project running for California Biodiversity Week plus projects you can join year round from the comfort of home.
Join us Wednesday, September 9 for free live activities the entire household can enjoy.
This week, from Saturday, September 5 – Sunday, September 13, take photos of all the wild plants and animals you can find in California. Then, upload them to iNaturalist. In one surge with your fellow Californians, you will be helping document the diversity of plants and animals that call our state home.
We have all sorts of fun activities for you to use at home. Stay tuned to our social media pages for extras during the week, too.
Most importantly, spread the word! Take pride in our biodiversity and let others know what it is, and how important to our environment and well-being.
Explore the biodiversity of southern California through our Coast to Cactus exhibition website. Check-out the plants and animals found in different areas.
Suggested readings on birds, mammals, plants, reptiles and amphibians, insects and their relatives.
Frequently asked questions on birds, mammals, plants, reptiles and amphibians, insects and their relatives.
Posted by The Nat.
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