City nature challenge kicks off this weekend

Cape Town is competing with various international cities to record the most observations of local plant and animal species. The Mother City stands a good chance of occupying the top spot on the international biodiversity map, with the help of its residents of course.

Located in one of the world’s most biodiverse areas, Cape Town is in a strong position to compete in the 2019 City Nature Challenge.

Capetonians are encouraged to explore the City’s nature reserves and natural open spaces and to record all of the local plant and animal species that they spot over the days of the competition.

Today the Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Marian Nieuwoudt, joined some of the City conservation staff members at the Table Bay Nature Reserve to start capturing visuals of some of the animal and plant life that this magnificent reserve has to offer and then sharing it on the iNaturalist.com app.

‘Cape Town is incredibly blessed with vast nature reserves and many natural open areas. We have plant and animal life in abundance and right on our doorsteps. When participants go out and look for plant and animal life this weekend I am sure that many residents will be amazed by all of the beautiful natural spaces which are located in and around their city.

‘After this morning’s visit to the Table Bay Nature Reserve I was reminded of what a treat this reserve is for bird watchers and residents who want to enjoy a picnic with such a magnificent view as a backdrop,’ said Alderman Nieuwoudt.

To participate in the challenge, participants need to please download the iNaturalist.com app via https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2019-cape-town; register on the app and then share their observations by uploading all of their findings on the app.

The City manages 20 nature reserves and various nature areas and has coordinated activities for this challenge across the metro.

All of the reserves will be open to anyone who is interested in recording their observations of plant and animal life over these four days. Participants can look forward to tours of the reserves with local experts and conservation managers during the course of the challenge.

Participants should keep an eye on the following page for news about all of the events https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2019-cape-town/journal/22943 as well as the iNaturalist Southern Africa Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pg/iNatureZA/events/

‘The City Nature Challenge provides us with another opportunity to showcase this diverse natural environment. So let’s get out, capture and share all of our moments spent with nature this weekend,’ said Alderman Nieuwoudt.

Source: City Of Cape Town

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