Discover
Citizen Science + iNaturalist
Citizen Scientists are people like you!
Visitors like you help Summit Metro Parks conservation staff and other researchers gain more knowledge about what is happening in the Metro Parks and beyond. Tools like iNaturalist and direct-observation Citizen Science volunteers make a huge difference.
What is iNaturalist?
iNaturalist is a crowd-sourced citizen science program where you can:
- Share your nature observations through your smart device or PC.
- Connect with experts who can identify your observations.
- Learn by connecting with other naturalists and helping others.
- Help scientists and resource managers understand where species occur.
Join iNaturalist with a free account and begin adding photo observations to local iNaturalist projects. Find helpful information and videos here.
Citizen Science in SMP
Citizen Science is the collection of data relating to the natural world by members of the public, often in collaboration with professional scientists. Summit Metro Parks has a robust citizen science program where registered volunteers collect data that is used to assess and monitor the health of our parks.
Our programs include:
- Amphibian Calling Survey
- Native Cavity Nest Box Monitoring
- Snake Surveys
- Salamander Surveys
- Stream Quality Monitoring
- Woodcock Calling Surveys
- Hawk Calling Surveys
- Owl Calling Surveys
- Coyote Calling Surveys
- Invasive Species Squad
- Great Backyard Bird Count
- Breeding Bird Survey
If you aren’t a registered volunteer but still want to get involved, please check out iNaturalist to see how you can contribute your nature observations to science.
Get involved
Volunteer with SMP
Would you like to become an SMP volunteer? Hundreds of residents make a difference through various volunteer roles at Summit Metro Parks.