Urban Trees and City Forests
Urban Trees and City Forests: Allies for…
iNaturalist is an international platform designed to empower individuals to explore and document the world’s biodiversity. Developed through a partnership between the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, its mission is to foster a deeper connection with nature while contributing valuable data for scientific research.
The application is user-friendly and intuitive, allowing anyone to snap a photo of an animal, plant, or fungus and upload it to the platform. Powered by artificial intelligence and supported by a community of experts and enthusiasts, each observation is identified and cataloged. With every contribution, the platform builds a more comprehensive map of species distribution across the globe, benefiting amateur naturalists and providing valuable insights for scientists researching biodiversity and ecosystem changes.
The iNaturalist app offers an intuitive and user-friendly experience, making it accessible to anyone eager to explore nature and enhance biodiversity knowledge. Its features are built around a few simple and essential steps.
Once you’ve downloaded the app and set up your account, you can instantly begin recording your observations. Snap a photo of any plant, animal, or fungus and upload it to the platform. Leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence, the system analyzes the image and offers identification suggestions based on an extensive database of pre-classified images and information. If you’re uncertain about the identification, you can leave it open for input from the community. Enthusiasts and experts alike can review your observation, comment, and provide more precise identifications.
Each observation becomes part of a worldwide network of biodiversity data, empowering scientists, researchers, and conservationists to track species and monitor ecosystem changes.
A standout feature of iNaturalist is its vibrant social element. The platform enables users to discover and engage with observations made by others, whether locally or across the globe, fostering a dynamic and enriching experience.
Users can connect with each other, exchange insights, and contribute to more accurate identifications. The app also enables participation in specialized projects, like monitoring endangered species or recording urban wildlife.
In essence, iNaturalist transcends being a simple identification app—it’s a worldwide community of nature lovers, a continually expanding repository, and an indispensable resource for preserving biodiversity.
