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City Nature Challenge: Chicagoland Region

City Nature Challenge: Chicagoland 2026

Chicagoland Partners, Host a City Nature Challenge and Identify Wild Species in Our Region

We’re looking for Alliance partners to join the global party and host a City Nature Challenge: Chicagoland Region event anytime from Friday, April 25 to Monday, April 28, 2025. 

Then from April 28 to May 10, upload observations to iNaturalist and help others identify what was found. The global results will be announced on May 13, 2026. 

It can be as simple or as complex as you want. Already planning stewardship or volunteer activities in the spring? Want a reason to host a hike, bird walk, or other adventure for kids or adults? Plan your event anytime on the weekend of April 25 to 28, and encourage people to look for wildlife and post sightings to the City Nature Challenge Chicagoland Region iNaturalist page.

This year's focus is quality additions of wild species to iNaturalist. 

City Nature Challenge goals

Eligible Counties in Chicagoland

All observations in the following counties count for the challenge and are automatically added to the Chicagoland Region project. 

  • Illinois: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will
  • Indiana: Jasper, Lake, Newton, Porter
  • Wisconsin: Kenosha 

Be Part of the City Nature Challenge: Chicagoland Region

It's easy! 

  1. Add details about your project or event to this spreadsheet, including RSVP information. 
  2. Join the Chicagoland Region project on iNaturalist.
  3. Host your event anytime from April 25 to April 28, then upload your community's observations of wild species. (Wild means that it wasn’t put there, and is not being taken care of by people.)
  4. Want to do more? Fill out this form to be added to the City Nature Challenge: Chicagoland Region planning team. All levels of expertise are welcome. We meet the second Monday of each month at 1pm CST to discuss logistics, brainstorm challenge ideas, and support participating organizations in our region. 
Add your City Nature Challenge event
Join the iNaturalist Chicagoland Region project

Help for Educators and Organizations

Need ideas for engaging people in community science and nature exploration? Check out the iNaturalist Educators' Guide. 

Your Data Matters

Knowing what species are in our city and where they are helps us study and protect them, but the ONLY way to do that is by all of us – scientists, land managers, and the community – working together to find and document the nature in our area.

City Nature Challenge Scientific Reports

2026 Events

Want to host a City Nature Challenge: Chicagoland Region event? See the information above and add your event details here. 
        

Illinois

  •  Events coming soon!

Indiana

  •  Events coming soon!

Wisconsin

  •  Events coming soon!

Global Events

View cities worldwide participating in the City Nature Challenge 2026. 

City Nature Challenge cities participating map

Resources and Links

About the City Nature Challenge

Using iNaturalist

Other Resources 

How to make an observation on iNaturalist using the mobile app from iNaturalist on Vimeo.

Partners

City Nature Challenge
 

 

Questions or to join the partners of the City Nature Challenge:Chicagoland Region, contactTaran Lichtenberger, Community Science Programs Manager, Chicago Botanic Gardens. Questions or comments about the global City Nature Challenge can be directed to the international organizers.