What is iNaturalist?
iNaturalist is a free, easy-to-use online platform and app where everyday people, just like you, can record and share observations of plants, animals, insects, fungi, and other wild organisms they find in nature. Whether you’re snapping a photo of a bumblebee on your balcony or spotting a mushroom on a hike, your observation becomes part of a growing global database that scientists and conservationists use to understand and protect biodiversity.
The Nature Collective Community on iNaturalist
We’re excited to introduce our new central project: Nature Near You – TNC SL Community Project
“Nature Near You” is The Nature Collective’s ongoing community science project. Members are invited to document and explore the biodiversity around them, wherever they call home. Every observation matters (birds, wildflowers, trees, insects, mushrooms, lichens, reptiles, and amphibians, wild mammals, and any other wild organisms), and helps us celebrate, understand, and connect with the natural world. Together, we’re creating a global record of biodiversity through the unique lens of our nature-focused community. (Please note: This is now the primary iNaturalist project for The Nature Collective SL.)
Also, throughout the year, we’ll host optional themed challenges to inspire exploration and participation, such as:
- Wildflowers in Bloom
- Signs of the Seasons
- Backyard Biodiversity
- Nighttime Nature
- And more
These are meant to be fun, inclusive, and pressure-free ways to engage with the community, and encourage our members to get out and explore more!
How to Participate
Create an iNaturalist account (free & easy):
Download the iNaturalist app:
Join the projects
- Join The Nature Collective “Nature Near You” Community Project
Start observing!
- Take clear photos whenever possible
- Try to capture the whole object, especially side and top views
- Multiple photos from different angles can help with identification
Upload your observation to iNaturalist with:
- Photos
- Date observed
- Location observed (please see below for privacy suggestions)
- Any notes you’d like to include
A few tips:
- Focus on wild organisms rather than pets or cultivated garden plants
- Don’t worry if you don’t know what something is – iNaturalist can help identify it
- Every observation matters, from a common dandelion to a rare native bee
- Respect wildlife and habitats while observing and photographing nature
Important reminders:
- Your observations will be added automatically as long as you have joined the “Nature Near You” Community Project
- Explore observations shared by other community members, learn about local biodiversity, and help identify organisms when you can
Our Other iNaturalist Projects
We also maintain a few specialized iNaturalist projects focused on specific themes such as pollinators and wildlife. These projects will remain available and continue to collect relevant observations for now. However, our Nature Near You Community Project is now our main hub for participation and challenges.
Our three specialized projects include:
🐦 TNC Backyard Birds & Beyond
This project invites members of the TNC group to get outside, look up, and share their real-life wild bird sightings.
🍄 TNC Fungifinders
This project invites fungi-curious TNC group members to upload their observations of fungi and lichens in the wild.
🐝 TNC Pollinators in the Wild
This project invites TNC group members to step outside and document native bees and other pollinators in the wild.
Please note that some observations may appear in both the new Community Project and these specialized projects, depending on their classification.
PRIVACY TIPS – KEEPING YOUR LOCATION PRIVATE
If you’re concerned about sharing your exact location, iNaturalist allows you to obscure or hide it. When uploading an observation via the app, look for the “Location Visibility” option and select one of the following:
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- Open: Your location is visible to everyone.
- Obscured: Only shows a rough area (within ~10 km). Good for backyard or neighborhood sightings.
- Private: The location is hidden from all users except you and project curators. (Please note, location information sharing is automatically turned off for TNC projects and is not visible by project coordinators. Location information can still be seen by other users if you choose to not set your Geoprivacy to Obscured or Private)
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You can also change the privacy setting later by editing your observation. More info can be found here.
Our new Nature Near You Community Project was created to celebrate the biodiversity that exists all around us, wherever we call home.
Whether in a city, rural town, coastal community, or somewhere in between, nature is always present. It may appear as a native bee visiting a flower, a mushroom after rain, a bird in a nearby tree, or an insect on a fence post. These everyday encounters invite us to slow down, observe, and reconnect with the living world around us.
You don’t need to be an expert naturalist to participate, curiosity is enough. Every observation matters. Every species tells a story. Every contribution helps us better understand and appreciate the incredible diversity of life that surrounds us.
We invite you to explore, observe, and share your discoveries with the community. Because nature is everywhere, and meaningful encounters with it can happen close to home.
Let’s connect the joy of exploring nature in Second Life with real-world awareness and action.
Happy observing!