Blooming crocuses and returning swans can bring some joy in these disconcerting times. Today CPAWS Yukon is launching the Spring Nature Challenge. It’s a community science project, designed to get people outside and noticing spring, while gathering valuable ecological data.
Please act responsibly and follow the Yukon government’s guidelines on physical distancing and Yukon First Nations’ guidelines on entry into certain areas. Maintain safe and respectful distances from wild animals too.
How it works:
1. Keep track of the plants and animals you see, and where you will see them. Take photos of your interesting discoveries, especially anything can’t identify!
-
Upload your photos to the Spring Nature Challenge project on iNaturalist.* If using iNaturalist is a barrier, then please email your observations to signsofspring@cpawsyukon.org and we’ll upload them on your behalf. Make sure to include the date and time of your sightings, as it makes the data more helpful for scientists.
*Are you an avid birder who already submits checklists on eBird? You can upload your bird sightings to eBird instead of iNaturalist, but please share your checklists with signsofspring@cpawsyukon.org
- Share the most memorable stories of your observations with us on social media, along with #YukonSignsOfSpring and tag us @CPAWSYukon!
Prizes
The Spring Nature Challenge goes until June 20th, the first day of summer. Throughout the next two months, CPAWS Yukon will share photos and stories of what people are seeing, along with some data visualizations. At the end we’ll convene a panel of judges to award prizes in the following categories:
Best Photo
Most Species Observations
Most Unusual Observation
Best Kids Observation (12 & Under)