Take part in the 2026 City Nature Challenge and join the Boone County Conservation District on guided hikes to explore different habitats and see what's blooming!

Catch the buzz about the local birds, bees, and blooms with Brian Hale and Joel Neylon! Be prepared to explore nature right here in Belvidere at Spencer Conservation Area! An introduction to iNaturalist will precede the hike. Meet at the Rec Hall Pavilion by using the entrance at 1121 N Appleton Road.

iNaturalist is a free, fun, and easy app and website that allows people to post observations about wildlife and plants. Researchers from around the world can use the data uploaded to help them make informed land management decisions and better understand local plants and animals.

City Nature Challenge is a worldwide movement to document nature and help fight biodiversity loss! Every observation made of WILD nature is a data point that helps scientists and researchers understand and protect nature for all. It began in 2016 as a friendly competition between San Francisco and L.A. and quickly grew to 159 cities across 6 continents in 2019. Last year alone, City Nature Challenge had 35,000 participants that made nearly 1 million observations and documented over 1,000 rare, threatened, and endangered species. It is organized by California Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum Los Angeles County.