Saskatoon and Area
City Nature Challenge 2025
CNC YXE 2025

Unite for Nature: Find it, Snap it, Share it!
April 25 – April 28, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City Nature Challenge 2025:
Saskatoon Takes on the Global Biodiversity Stage
Saskatoon, SK – Get ready to explore the rich natural heritage of Saskatoon and join us in the City Nature Challenge 2025 (CNC YXE 2025)! From April 25 – April 28, 2025, we invite residents to take part in this exciting international competition, where cities around the world race to document their biodiversity through the power of citizen science.
Unleashing the Power of Citizen Science
The City Nature Challenge empowers everyone—from casual nature enthusiasts to seasoned naturalists—to contribute valuable observations of Saskatoon's wildlife. Whether you’re taking a walk through your neighborhood, enjoying a day at the park, or simply exploring your own backyard, we encourage you to photograph plants, animals, insects, fungi, and other forms of life using the iNaturalist app. These observations help map the biodiversity of our city, contributing to a global effort to better understand and protect our environment.
The City Nature Challenge Phases
  • April 25 – April 28, 2025: Observation & Data Collection Phase
    Head outdoors and capture the incredible wildlife in your neighborhood. Record your findings using iNaturalist or a local platform to help catalog species across the city.
  • April 29 – May 4, 2025: Identification Phase
    After documenting, help identify the species that others have observed, contributing to the global database of biodiversity.
  • Results Announcement: Monday, May 5, 2025
    Find out which cities recorded the most observations, discovered the highest diversity, and engaged the largest number of participants.
The Heartbeat of Saskatoon's Biodiversity
Saskatoon’s entry in the City Nature Challenge 2025 is organized by the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas and supported by local environmental groups, including the Saskatoon Nature Society. With an exciting array of events and activities planned, we hope to inspire participants to explore, connect, and protect Saskatoon’s natural beauty.
What Can You Discover?
From the buzzing of bees to the flutter of butterflies, wildlife is waiting to be found all around you. Record your observations of any wild plant, animal, insect, or fungi, and even signs of life like tracks, feathers, scat, or nests. The iNaturalist app makes it easy to document and share your discoveries while providing AI-powered suggestions to help identify species.
Saskatoon’s Call to Action
Whether you’re a nature enthusiast or just beginning to explore the outdoors, City Nature Challenge 2025 is for everyone. As Jerin, a 16-year-old Saskatoon high school student, puts it, "I’d love to contribute any photos I take on my walks and bike rides around the city!" Jerin’s enthusiasm highlights the power of individuals to collectively make a huge difference in documenting our city's wildlife.
Engage with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
This challenge is a fun and impactful way to contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land and Goal 14: Life Under Water by documenting species, identifying those at risk, and helping scientists track global biodiversity trends.
Join Us in the Nature Revolution
To make the most of your experience, check out the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas YouTube channel for tutorials on how to get started with iNaturalist, and how to participate in the identification phase of the challenge.
Get Involved Today! 
Saskatoon is ready to showcase its incredible biodiversity. Take part in the City Nature Challenge 2025 to help us make our mark on the global stage. Stay tuned for updates and event details as the challenge dates approach. Together, we can highlight Saskatoon as a leader in biodiversity conservation.
For more information, please contact:  Julia AdamsonChair, Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas  friendsafforestation@gmail.com
For detailed guidelines, event information, and updates, visit the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas website and the iNaturalist platform.
Support & Collaborate.   The City Nature Challenge 2025 is brought to you by Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, a local environmental charity. We appreciate the support of community organizations like the Saskatoon Nature Society, and we welcome further collaboration. If you're interested in supporting the event or contributing in any way, please contact us. Donations are gratefully accepted via PayPal, Canada Helps, and more.
Let's make a difference, one observation at a time!
Follow the City Nature Challenge 2025#CNCYXE2025 #ExploreNature #iNaturalist #Biodiversity #Saskatoon

Hints and Tips iNaturalist How To

Helpful iNaturalist Canada YouTube videos, How-To sheets here, and how to get involved with iNaturalist City Nature Challenge

Pamphlets and poster

YouTube, TikTok. Brochures, pamphlets, and a poster for you to download for the City Nature Challenge 2024 -

2022 CNCYXE results

How did Saskatoon and Area do the very first time they took part in the City Nature Challenge in 2022? Find out here.

SIGNS OF LIFE accepted

This includes encounters with signs of organisms like tracks, nests, sound recordings or things that just died, etc. - LEARN MORE

Collaborate

We encourage your business, classroom, community association, youth group to take part in the CNC YXE! Your logo on the Saskatoon CNC YXE 2024 banner!

Support

How can you or your business support with in-kind or philanthropic generosity?

CNC YXE 2024 host: Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas

An introduction to the non profit environmental charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc.

CNC YXE Results 2024

🌳 Let's celebrate the power of citizen science and our city's dedication to preserving nature! Join us in reliving the magic and get ready to be inspired for next year's challenge. 🌎💚

What is the City Nature Challenge?

What is the CNC YXE, and what types of biodiversity should I observe, and how?

A Call to Action: Shaping Tomorrow’s Conservationists with Gratitude to SaskPower

In gratitude for SaskPower’s generous support for the "From Classroom to Nature" educational program is helping to shape the next generation of environmental stewards.

From Classroom to Nature: Educational Programs Shaping Tomorrow’s Conservationists

Empowering Communities, Enriching Nature. SaskTel’s Support for CNC YXE 2025.

Growing Green: How SaskEnergy’s Support is Cultivating Future Conservationists

Planting the Seeds of Change. SaskEnergy’s Role in Fostering Environmental Responsibility

Gratitude to Saskatoon Nature Society: Cultivating the Next Generation of Nature Stewards

Preserving Our Planet, Together with the Saskatoon Nature Society.

Connecting with Nature: Documenting Wildlife in Saskatoon’s Public Greenspaces

Taking Action for Conservation: The Importance of Documenting Native Species in Saskatoon and Area

Exploring Saskatoon's Urban Greenways: A Guide to Natural Spaces

Urban Wilderness: Where to Find Organisms and Signs of Life in Saskatoon’s Public Parks

 Sharing on Social Media

Sharing threads, hash tags, for the CNC YXE 2024 on Social Media! An easy method for you to share content!

Educator and Parent Guide

Engaging Youth with Nature. Hints and Tips, curriculum ideas.

Exploring Nature in and Around Your Home

How to find nature in the city

Educational Resouces for Teachers and Naturalists

Teaching materials about Fungi appropriate for Grades K-3, Grades 4-12 and adult education use in a classroom or lab setting

Nature Lovers AND Environment Naturalist Coordinators

Postings for Environment Naturalist Coordinators AND Nature Lover Observation Recorders

Enchanted Forest Exploration: Discovering Wildlife and Wonders

Tales from the Trail: An Interactive Journey Through Nature

Going on a Nature Walk

Join us on an exciting journey through the wonders of nature with our new song, inspired by the rhythm of "Going on a Lion Hunt." 🌿🎶 Follow along as we explore the beauty and biodiversity of the natural world, from tall grasses to serene wetlands, and everything in between!

À propos imageÀ propos imageÀ propos image
Le Défi nature urbaine est une initiative internationale invitant les gens à trouver et à consigner plantes et animaux sauvages dans des villes de partout dans le monde.1

Il s’agit d’une compétition entre les villes Cette année, l’accent sera plutôt mis sur l’importance de la nature dans nos vies et l’aspect collaboratif du partage d’observations en ligne. 2

1. citynaturechallenge.org/participate/
2 https://ccn-ncc.gc.ca/evenements/defi-nature-urbaine


  •  25/04/2025 06:00 PM
  •   Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area in Saskatoon

Evening Wildlife Wonders: Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – East Side (April 25, 2025, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM) As the sun sets over Saskatoon at 8:30 for the close of this event, we invite you to come out ahead of time to discover the beauty of the East Side of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area during a captivating evening bio-blitz. In this twilight adventure, we’ll explore the diverse species that awaken with the nightfall—from buzzing insects to curious mammals and elusive birds. Using the iNaturalist app, you’ll contribute to mapping the rich biodiversity of Saskatoon while enjoying the tranquil evening hours. As the sun dips below the horizon at 8:30 PM, we will have documented an early evening's worth of nature observations, all for a greater cause: a strong ecological database for the future. Map to parking lot P2 = the South West Off Leash Recreation Area and walking to the east side forest https://www.friendsareas.ca/friends/RSBBAAmap.html Please download the iNaturalist app to your smartphone, sign in with your favourite user ID and password, come out to take pictures and record sounds of biodiversity during this nature walk! As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the City Nature Challenge, we reflect on how far we've come in harnessing the power of citizen science. With iNaturalist, there is created a vast, crowd-sourced network where nature enthusiasts from all corners of the globe come together to help identify species, turning every photo into a valuable contribution to our collective understanding. Through the remarkable work of the Visipedia team which helps us identify and protect the incredible biodiversity of our planet. Discover Saskatoon's best kept secret, and this forest coming to life for the City Nature Challenge this spring, commemorating the 55th anniversary of Earth Month, with the theme: "Our Power, Our Planet." Be the reason nature believes in humanity.

  •  26/04/2025 01:00 PM - 26/04/2025 03:00 PM
  •   George Genereux Urban Regional Park

As the sun sets over Saskatoon at the close of this event, we invite you to come out ahead of time to discover the beauty of the East Side of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area during a captivating evening bio-blitz. In this twilight adventure, we’ll explore the diverse species that awaken with the nightfall—from buzzing insects to curious mammals and elusive birds. Using the iNaturalist app, you’ll contribute to mapping the rich biodiversity of Saskatoon while enjoying the tranquil evening hours. As the sun dips below the horizon at 8:30 PM, we will have documented a night’s worth of nature observations, all for a greater cause: a strong ecological database for the future. Map to parking lot P2 = the South West Off Leash Recreation Area and walking to the east side forest https://www.friendsareas.ca/friends/GGURPmap.html Please download the iNaturalist app to your smartphone, sign in with your favourite user ID and password, come out to take pictures and record sounds of biodiversity during this nature walk! As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the City Nature Challenge, we reflect on how far we've come in harnessing the power of citizen science. iNaturalist is a smartphone app to document biodiversity by photograph or sound recording. With iNaturalist, there is now created a vast, crowd-sourced network where nature enthusiasts from all corners of the globe come together to help identify species, turning every photo into a valuable contribution to our collective understanding. Through the remarkable work of the Visipedia team and which helps us identify and protect the incredible biodiversity of our planet. In recent years, there have been significant advancements in machine learning, particularly in computer vision, that does indeed assist in identifications of flora and fauna, lichen and fungi. The City Nature Challenge happens four days in early spring late April-early May for an amazing intensive to connect with biodiversity. Yet iNaturalist can be used all year to document signs of life, or biodiversity anywhere from wetlands, forests, urban sidewalks and greenspaces. Discover Saskatoon's best kept secret, and this forest coming to life for the City Nature Challenge this spring, commemorating the 55th anniversary of Earth Month, with the theme: "Our Power, Our Planet." Be the reason nature believes in humanity.

  •  27/04/2025 01:00 PM - 27/04/2025 03:00 PM
  •   West swale wetlands Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

The West Swale Wetlands, with their intricate ecosystems, offer an extraordinary opportunity to observe the hidden beauty of Saskatoon’s natural water systems. Join us for a guided bio-blitz as we explore the northern end of Chappell Marsh which is in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Areas. From aquatic plants to migrating birds, the wetlands teem with life waiting to be discovered. This event will focus on the unique species that thrive in wetland habitats, highlighting the critical importance of these areas to our city’s water and wildlife. Your observations will be key in documenting the species that depend on these fragile ecosystems, providing a valuable contribution to our growing ecological database. You may bring a transparent clear plastic container, a ziploc bag to place around your smartphone, a magnifying glass, an old towel to help with pond dipping. Any youth need to be accompanied by a guardian near the wetlands, as this is a famliy friendly event. Map to parking lot P2 = the South West Off Leash Recreation Area from there we will walk to the wetlands Please download the iNaturalist app to your smartphone, sign in with your favourite user ID and password, come out to take pictures and record sounds of biodiversity during this nature walk! As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the City Nature Challenge, we reflect on how far we've come in harnessing the power of citizen science. iNaturalist is a smartphone app to document biodiversity by photograph or sound recording. With iNaturalist, there is now created a vast, crowd-sourced network where nature enthusiasts from all corners of the globe come together to help identify species, turning every photo into a valuable contribution to our collective understanding. Through the remarkable work of the Visipedia team and which helps us identify and protect the incredible biodiversity of our planet. In recent years, there have been significant advancements in machine learning, particularly in computer vision, that does indeed assist in identifications of flora and fauna, lichen and fungi. The City Nature Challenge happens four days in early spring late April-early May for an amazing intensive to connect with biodiversity. Yet iNaturalist can be used all year to document signs of life, or biodiversity anywhere from wetlands, forests, urban sidewalks and greenspaces. Discover Saskatoon's best kept secret, and this forest coming to life for the City Nature Challenge this spring, commemorating the 55th anniversary of Earth Month, with the theme: "Our Power, Our Planet." Be the reason nature believes in humanity.

  •  28/04/2025 06:00 PM - 28/04/2025 08:30 PM
  •   Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK

Directions to west side RSBBAA Parking lot P1 near Sk Hwy 7 https://www.friendsareas.ca/friends/RSBBAAmap.html Sunset Biodiversity Adventure: Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – West Side (April 28, 2025, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM) Join as at 6pm before the last light of day paints the sky at 8:30, join us at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area’s West Side for a peaceful evening bio-blitz. During this event, we will explore the varied ecosystems of the West Side, from dense forests to grasslands, in search of the incredible wildlife that calls this area home. With the sun setting at 8:30 PM, we’ll document our findings on iNaturalist, contributing to a comprehensive global biodiversity map. It’s an ideal way to connect with nature, learn about Saskatoon’s ecosystems, and contribute to preserving our environment for future generations. Please download the iNaturalist app to your smartphone, sign in with your favourite user ID and password, come out to take pictures and record sounds of biodiversity during this nature walk! As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the City Nature Challenge, we reflect on how far we've come in harnessing the power of citizen science. With iNaturalist, there is created a vast, crowd-sourced network where nature enthusiasts from all corners of the globe come together to help identify species, turning every photo into a valuable contribution to our collective understanding. Through the remarkable work of the Visipedia team which helps us identify and protect the incredible biodiversity of our planet. Discover Saskatoon's best kept secret, and this forest coming to life for the City Nature Challenge this spring, commemorating the 55th anniversary of Earth Month, with the theme: "Our Power, Our Planet." Be the reason nature believes in humanity.

  • Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
  • George Genereux Urban Regional Park NE 21-36-6 W3 - George Genereux Afforestation Area -133 Range Road 3063 - GPS 52.1089473,-106.7925807 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area Part SE 23-36-6 W3- South East Parking (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) - 241A Township Road 362-A - GPS 52.100826, -106.742013
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