Do you want to participate in the 2021 CNC but the seven Maritime areas don't include your backyard?

There are many Maritimers who live in areas outside the official CNC areas. Hopefully these Maritimers will still be keen and willing to participate. The first priority, though, is to stay safe and observe all local travel restrictions.

For many Maritimers, if travel is an option, it is likely that there will be a CNC area just down the road from your backyard. The CNC may present an opportunity to get out and explore areas not normally visited.

For those who are unable to get out and help collect observations the CNC event does need identifiers! If uncomfortable with assigning species names perhaps browse thru unnamed observations and add coarse names such as 'birds', 'insects', or 'plants'. Help review observations and flag any cultivated plants or captive animals. Every little bit helps.

Another option is to offer to help mentor others - example keep an eye on what is being posted and point out either areas or species that have been overlooked. Maybe no one is posting spruce trees, or earthworms, indoor spiders. Or maybe no one has gone to the beach - this is a great opportunity to post photos of living critters (barnacles, periwinkles), seaweed, and seashells.

Here is a link to observations from the 3 NS areas for the month of April (from all years) - you can see that there are lots of gaps in the geographic coverage.

Browse thru the list of species on the main tab. See ones that are common in your area? There are 777 observations but only 51 evening primrose and cattails? Lots of colts-foot, robins, and squirrels. Not many photos of green crabs or wild rose.

Here is a similar link for NB
Here is a similar link for PEI

Now is a great time to explore not just what you personally have uploaded in the past but what others have uploaded as well.

How many species do you think you will be able to find this year? Start planning now!

Posted on February 2, 2021 08:21 PM by mkkennedy