Project Stay Planted - April 22 to May 31, 2021

If you can post a photo to your social media platform, you can contribute to global scientific research.

It’s that simple, using an app called iNaturalist. The Garden hosts Project Stay Planted citizen science projects annually, but you don’t have to wait for our next round to contribute to iNaturalist’s repository of data. Through the links below, you’ll learn how to use iNaturalist and hone your powers of observation in your backyards, neighborhoods, community parks, favorite hiking trails—wherever. By photographing and making notes on the plants you encounter, you’ll help researchers understand everything from where different species grow to when they bloom. Meanwhile, you’ll discover more about the natural world around you.

Plants are the foundation of all life on Earth, and yet, they may be Earth’s most underappreciated life-form. This app encourages you to connect with the plants that surround you, beginning with the simple act of looking for them and learning their names.

Brush up on terms before you dive in!