Climate Action and Sustainability

City Nature Challenge

City Nature Challenge is an international initiative organized by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to record wildlife population data in urban areas. During the Challenge, people across the globe are encouraged to identify and contribute images of local plants, animals, and fungi to share with other community scientists through the iNaturalist app. 

This year, the Office of Climate Action & Sustainability will host our Fifth Annual City Nature Challenge bioblitz event at Willow Springs Park.

Event Information:

📅 Saturday, April 25, 2026
⏰ 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
📍 Willow Springs Park, 2745 Orange Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90806

What is a bioblitz, and how do I participate?

A bioblitz is an event where people work together to find and identify native plants and animals. Sharing observations from these events can help scientists gather important data about local species. We invite the community to join us for our City Nature Challenge bioblitz event to learn about and explore the restored wetland habitat at Willow Springs Park. We encourage visitors to use the iNaturalist app as a tool to identify and share information about the plants and animals that call the park home.

With the help of the community, we made 104 observations and identified 59 species at Willow Springs last year. The results of our bioblitz event can be seen on iNaturalist. For more information about our 2025 event, read our recap here. 

How iNaturalist Works

• Is this event free?

  Yes, the event is free. Registration is required for some activities that have a limited capacity. You can register here.

• How safe and accessible are the paths?

  The trails of Willow Springs Park are unpaved and, in places, have steep hills. For questions about park accessibility, please email sustainability@longbeach.gov or call 562-570-6396.

• Are there restrooms and water stations at the park?

  An ADA-accessible portable restroom and a water bottle refill station will be available for event guests.

• What should I bring for this event??

  Please bring your water, close-toed shoes, and sun protection! Additionally, we encourage visitors to bring a device and to download iNaturalist. There is no wifi at the park, so a device that has data is recommended. Any photos you take offline can be uploaded to the app later. We will have other free tools and resources available to help participants record and identify their observations. 

• What parking or transit options are available?

  Visitors can park in the lot at 2745 Orange Ave., Long Beach CA 90806. The 104 bus line operates daily along Willow St. with stops a short walk from the park. Use LB Transit's Trip Planner to preview your commute. Visitors can also schedule a ride with Dial-A-Lift, a curb-to-curb, shared-ride paratransit service.