NYBG's scientists cannot be in every park at once, so they turned the city's residents into the survey team: pick up the monthly EcoQuest target, photograph what you find on your normal walk, and post it to iNaturalist, where it becomes part of the NYC EcoFlora dataset. Past challenges have tracked things like beech leaf disease spreading through the city's forests. It costs nothing, works in any borough, and genuinely feeds research — the rare volunteer job you can do on a lunch break.
What to expect
You download iNaturalist, check the current EcoQuest target on NYBG's site, then photograph matching organisms wherever you find them — street trees, park edges, backyards, cemeteries. Uploads are identified by the community and added to the NYC EcoFlora project database. Challenges rotate, so there is always a new target.
Good to know
- Free to participate — you need the iNaturalist app and a phone camera
- Works anywhere in the five boroughs; no trip to the Bronx required
- Check NYBG's EcoQuest page for the current month's target species or condition
- Good for families, students and anyone who walks the same route daily
- Photos of leaves, bark and whole plants help identification more than one close-up
- Observations feed the NYC EcoFlora research dataset
Common questions
Do I need scientific training?
No — the community on iNaturalist confirms identifications, and the challenges are written for beginners.
Is there a cost?
No. Participating and downloading iNaturalist are free.
Where do I do it?
Anywhere in New York City — the point is documenting the biodiversity around you.