City Nature Challenge: San Antonio Metro Area

09/16/2026

Behind every username on iNaturalist is a real person, someone who gets excited about the same tiny, strange, beautiful things you do. iNat Together is a global campaign happening September 18-28 that's all about turning those usernames into friends.

The idea is simple. Don't observe alone. Grab a friend, a family member, or a neighbor who's never used iNaturalist before, and turn your next walk into a shared experience.

Here are a few events scheduled across the region:

📍 Walker Ranch Blacklight
🗓️ 9/18, Friday, 8:30-10:30pm

📍 Universal City Veterans Park
🗓️ 9/19, Saturday, 9:00-10:30am

📍 Bracken Cave Blacklight
🗓️ 9/21, Monday, 8:30-11:00pm

No iNaturalist experience needed. Bring someone with you and find something new together.

For more details and to RSVP, visit CNC-SA.org/events

Are you an iNat Ambassador who wants to lead a walk? Let us know! We're happy to help you schedule and promote it.

09/02/2026

September brings our second monthly iNaturalist meetup, and this month we're headed to McAllister Park, one of San Antonio's largest urban wild spaces, with hundreds of acres and miles of trails.

We'll kick things off with the latest iNat news, introduce our region's newest iNat Ambassadors, and go over best practices and resources for walk leaders. Then we'll break into small groups and head out on the trails for about an hour documenting life along the way. New ambassadors will have a chance to lead or co-lead one of these small groups. We'll wrap up by discussing what we found and working through identifications as a group.

Wear comfortable shoes and bring water, a hat, and sunscreen.

These iNat meetups are open to anyone, and no previous experience is needed.

📍 McAllister Park, Pavilion 1 (Al Becken)
🗓️ Saturday, September 5, 9-11am
👥 Led by Robert Doyal and Jane Weeden

RSVP: https://cnc-sa.org/iNatMeetups092026

07/28/2026

You said more walks. We said say no more.

Survey says CNC participants wanted more iNat walks throughout the year, so that's exactly what we're doing.

This Saturday, we're kicking off monthly iNat walks, open to anyone, anywhere in our 12-county region, no experience needed. You're invited to walk the trails with a group of people who genuinely love the natural world. A different theme each month, pollinators, flora, lichen, birds, tracks and signs, whatever nature's up to that season. Each one built around the species San Antonio should know.

The first meetup is all about trees. Once you start really looking at trees, you can't stop! They're everywhere, and suddenly you're noticing all of them: Texas Live Oak, Netleaf Hackberry, Shumard Oak, and many other natives.

📍 Phil Hardberger Park, Urban Ecology Center
🗓️ Saturday, August 1, 9-11am
👥 Led by Robert Doyal and Jane Weeden

We'll start with the latest iNat news, then spend about an hour in the field, and wrap up by working through identifications together. It's easy, it's social, and you'll leave seeing trees differently.

Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, and wear comfortable shoes.

Come join us under the canopy this Saturday!

RSVP: https://cnc-sa.org/iNatMeetup082026

06/05/2026

You chased a painted bunting through the brush for ten minutes to get that photo.

Five minutes for the CNC 2026 survey should be easy. To everyone who already filled it out, thank you. If you haven't, tonight's your last chance.

CNC 2026 happened because you showed up across 12 counties and looked closer. You observed. You identified. You made this event what it is. Now tell us how it went. What was your favorite moment, and what would you change? What you tell us is what we build from, and you're welcome to keep it anonymous.

We'd love to hear from you. Fill out the survey by Friday, June 5.

Take the Survey: https://forms.gle/tVUHcFnNQdqsU8qh9

05/28/2026

CNC 2026 happened because you showed up across 12 counties and looked closer. You observed. You identified. You made this event what it is. Now tell us how it went. What was your favorite moment, and what would you change? What you tell us is what we build from, and you're welcome to keep it anonymous.

We'd love to hear from you. Fill out the survey by Friday, June 5.

Take the Survey: https://forms.gle/tVUHcFnNQdqsU8qh9

05/14/2026

The official results of the 2026 City Nature Challenge are in! 💚

Across our 12-county region, 1,879 observers documented 4,816 species in just four days. That includes 69 at-risk species, 99 species found nowhere else, and 54 Texas Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). 65% of observations reached Research Grade.

That's real science. And you made it happen.

Globally, more than 106,000 people across 754 cities and 61 countries took part, making CNC the largest community science event of its kind on the planet.

Results from nature teams across our region will be shared at our Wrap-Up Party this Sunday, May 17. You won't want to miss it!

The numbers reflect the official snapshot taken at midnight on May 10. As more observations get identified, the totals will continue to grow.

Explore the Results: https://citynaturestats.com/project/?project=city-nature-challenge-2026-san-antonio-metro-area

Thank you to every observer, identifier, and community partner who joined us this year. The data you collected is now part of the permanent scientific record!

05/14/2026

🎉 Just a quick reminder... We'd love to see you at our Wrap-Up Party this Sunday! RSVP deadline is tomorrow (5/15): https://forms.gle/Mchr2bZxdzH2NA737

We walked the trails, scanned the skies, and turned over a few rocks. Come see what our region found!

Thousands of species and identifications. One community building a scientific record of what's wild in our 12-county region, and all made possible by people just like you.

Now it's time to gather, celebrate the biodiversity we found, and connect with the naturalists who made it happen. Oh, and there's pizza.

Join us for the CNC 2026 Wrap-Up Party.

📅 Sunday, May 17
🕓 4:00–6:00 PM
📍 Brackenridge Park, Koehler Pavilion
3700 N St Mary's St, San Antonio, Texas 78209

Co-hosted by the Alamo Area Texas Master Naturalists and the San Antonio River Authority.

RSVP Required by May 15: https://forms.gle/Mchr2bZxdzH2NA737

05/11/2026

We walked the trails, scanned the skies, and turned over a few rocks. Come see what our region found!

Thousands of species and identifications. One community building a scientific record of what's wild in our 12-county region, and all made possible by people just like you.

Now it's time to gather, celebrate the biodiversity we found, and connect with the naturalists who made it happen. Oh, and there's pizza.

Join us for the CNC 2026 Wrap-Up Party.

📅 Sunday, May 17
🕓 4:00–6:00 PM
📍 Brackenridge Park, Koehler Pavilion
3700 N St Mary's St, San Antonio, Texas 78209

Co-hosted by the Alamo Area Texas Master Naturalists and the San Antonio River Authority.

RSVP Required by May 15: https://forms.gle/Mchr2bZxdzH2NA737

05/08/2026

⏰ Still have photos or recordings on your phone or camera from City Nature Challenge (CNC) weekend?

Upload them now using the iNaturalist app or iNaturalist.org. The deadline for uploads and identifications is midnight on Sunday, May 10.

And even if you didn't make it out during CNC, you can still contribute before midnight on Sunday. Open iNaturalist and start identifying what others found. Every ID you add helps paint a clearer picture of what's living across our 12-county region and makes the data more useful to the researchers and conservationists who rely on it.

That's how a weekend outside counts.

New to identifying? Start here: iNaturalist.org/pages/citynaturechallenge

Learn more at CNC-SA.org.

05/06/2026

See you tonight at 6!

How did it go? What's next?

Identifications are still underway, and there's plenty to talk about. Join us for our monthly meeting on Wednesday (5/6) at 6:00 PM as we hear how CNC weekend went across our 12-county region, review our progress on identifications, and look ahead to what's next, including our CNC 2026 Wrap-Up Party.

Everyone is welcome.

📅 Wednesday, May 6, 2026
🕕 6:00–7:30 PM
💻 Virtual meeting
📋 Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/eDMNTdZ1ToaFF51I7UHwWQ #/registration