The City Nature Challenge is an international community science event, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife. For the first time in 2025, Frederick county residents joined the Washington DC Metro Area team to participate in this bioblitz-style competition where cities and regions are in a friendly contest with each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people. 

During the Challenge, the Frederick community will observe and identify as many species of wild animals, plants, and fungi as we can in the county—in local parks, neighborhoods, school grounds, front stoops, back yards, and more. Data collected during the City Nature Challenge will provide valuable information to scientists on wildlife and global biodiversity and inform local policies.