Nature Quest Challenge

Welcome to the ParkLands Nature Quest Challenge.  From June 20 to July 26, 2026 ParkLands Foundation invites you to get out and explore their premier preserves while documenting the nature you observe along the way.  You’ll be using the iNaturalist app to identify and document the plants and animals that you see at the preserves.  iNaturalist is a worldwide citizen science effort.  Your observations help researchers and naturalists across the world.

iNaturalist is a free app available for either Apple or Android devices.  iNaturalist uses your photos or audio recordings to help you identify what you are seeing/hearing, so go to the App Store or Google Play to download the iNaturalist app to your smart phone or iPad.  Then create an account at iNaturalist.org.

New to iNaturalist?  See the iNaturalist Training section below for opportunities to train on how to use iNaturalist.  (You must be 13 or older to create an iNaturalist account.  Children younger than 13 are encouraged to work with their parents to upload their observations.)

We invite you to explore one or all of the five participating ParkLands preserves between June 20 and July 26, 2026: Letcher Basin, Chinquapin South, Merwin, Lexington Preserve, Moon Preserve.  See below for links to each of the preserves’ information pages, complete with driving directions and trail maps.

To get you started on the challenge, we are offering a free Kickoff event to learn how to use iNaturalist, plus several local partners are offering free events at ParkLands preserves as part of the Nature Quest Challenge. See below to register for the Nature Quest Challenge and each partner event.

2026 Nature Quest Challenge Results!

Because of your incredible data collection efforts, we are thrilled to award prizes across several unique categories. Please join us in congratulating this year's Nature Quest winners:

  • ParkLands prize for most observations of any species: Lenore Sobota
  • University of Illinois Extension Grand Prairie Master Naturalists prize from most insect species: Eli and Shayna Townsend
  • Grand Prairie Bird Alliance prize for most bird species observed: Cathy Montgomery
  • Illinois Prairie Wild Ones prize for most native plant species observed: Lois Jazo

View all 2026 Nature Quest Stats HERE

Thanks everyone who joined in on Nature Quest this year! We hope you all enjoyed exploring ParkLands featured preserves.

Rules

  • Observations must be made within one of the five participating preserves. Parklands' preserve rules are HERE.
  • Observations must be made between June 20 and July 26, 2026.
  • Observations must be uploaded to your personal iNaturalist account. Note: Birders can use iNaturalist or eBird to document their bird observations. See "Training for eBird" section below if you plan to use eBird to participate in the Nature Quest Challenge.
  • You must register for the Parklands' Nature Quest event to be considered for a prize. (See registration link under the Events section.)
  • All observations must be uploaded by midnight on August 1, 2026.

iNaturalist Training

Below is a link to iNaturalist’s “Getting Started” page.  This page contains tutorials for creating an iNaturalist account and how to make an observation with your phone or by uploading a photo.

For those new to iNaturalist, be sure to sign up for the Kick-off event on June 20, 2026.  See the Events section below for more information.  Thank you to the Illinois Art Station in Normal for sharing their venue and grounds for our Kick-off Meeting.

For those experienced iNaturalist users, there’s no need to attend the Kick-off Meeting, but you must register for the ParkLands Nature Quest (See link in the Events section below.)

 

iNaturalist Training
Person Taking Photo with Phone

Training for eBird 

If you plan to participate in the ParkLands Nature Quest using eBird (rather than iNaturalist), a prize will be awarded for the most checklists submitted. If you are new to eBird, see the “eBird Training” link below. This link provides information about creating an eBird account, using eBird, and how to submit checklists. You can also attend the Birding Event (see link in the Events section below) led by experienced birders from the Grand Prairie Bird Alliance.

 

eBird Training

Preserves

Prizes

ParkLands is partnering with the following local organizations:  Illinois Prairie Wild Ones, Grand Prairie Bird Alliance, and the Grand Prairie Master Naturalists.

Each partner is generously providing a prize for the most different species observed in a specific category.  They are also offering an event to help you in your quest.  (See the Event Section for details and to sign up for an event.)

  • Illinois Prairie Wild Ones – Prize for the greatest number of different native plants observed
  • Grand Prairie Bird Alliance - One prize for the greatest number of different birds observed using iNaturalist and one prize for the most eBird checklists
  • Grand Prairie Master Naturalists - Prize for the greatest number of different insects observed
  • ParkLands Foundation - Prize for the greatest number of different total iNaturalist observations

In order to be considered for a prize, you must register for the ParkLands Nature Quest Challenge (see link in the Events Section below).

Prize winners will be determined by stats from the iNaturalist and eBird apps. All prize results are final.

Prize winners will be announced on the ParkLands website (parklandsfoundation.org) and the “Parklands Foundation (Illinois)” Facebook page.  Winners will be contacted by email.