City Nature Challenge 2023 - The Pines Flora and Fauna

In 2023, Frankston City Council is teaming up with over 27 Councils across metropolitan Melbourne to represent Greater Melbourne on the global stage in the City Nature Challenge.

Help us compete with cities from around the world by taking photos or making sound recordings of wild plants and animals between Friday 28th April and Monday 1st May 2023 using iNaturalist. Let's show the world the incredible biodiversity of Melbourne!

The project page for the City Nature Challenge 2023: Frankston City Council- City Nature Challenge 2023 and Greater Melbourne.

What is iNaturalist?

iNaturalist is a social network of naturalists, citizen scientists, and biologists built on the concept of mapping and sharing observations of biodiversity across the globe. iNaturalist is a platform for science and conservation efforts, providing valuable open data to research projects, land managers, other organizations, and the public.

To learn more about how to use iNaturalist watch one of the many online webinar recordings, such as the below by entomologist, Dr Luis Mata, of Melbourne University:

How to use iNaturalist recording of webinar ran 23rd March 2021:

Watch now

Melissa from Hume City Council is running a webinar on Wednesday 26th April on the CNC and how to use iNaturalist

Book now

What is Frankston Council doing?

In support of this four day event, Frankston Council has arranged for the following guided walks alongside Parks Victoria Rangers. Please note that an understanding of how to use iNaturalist is a prerequisite to these walks.

The Pines Flora and Fauna Reserve

Friday 28th April, 10:00-11:00 am
Come and join Council environmental officers and Parks Victoria Community Engagement Ranger on a walk through the Pines Flora and Fauna Reserve to see what unique inland sand dune system flora and fauna can be found and 'observed' using inaturalist. Meeting at the Darnley Reserve in Skye, this 2km walk will showcase 3 sections of native vegetation burnt at various intervals over the past 5 years.