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family in the forest

Explore nature during the 2025 City Nature Challenge – happening April 25 through 28, 2025 – and share your observations with the world so we can continue to learn about and protect our natural environment. Using the iNaturalist app, help our region record as many wild plants and animals as possible on land, in the air, and in our aquatic environments. Explore on your own or join others in Port Moody at events offered by the City and our local stewardship partners. All activities are free. See event details below – please note that advance registration is required at portmoody.ca/signmeup for most activities. 

The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is an international event, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities. Port Moody is participating as part of the Metro Vancouver region. Visit the City Nature Challenge 2025: Metro Vancouver Region project page at iNaturalist.org to learn more. 

“The City Nature Challenge is a great way to explore and celebrate the wild plants and animals that live in Port Moody’s natural areas,” says Mayor Meghan Lahti. “Learning about our natural environment helps us to understand the importance of protecting it. I encourage you to participate in the City Nature Challenge to discover the amazing plants and wildlife that contribute to the health of the land, water, and air on which we all rely.” 

April is Earth Month – a month-long celebration dedicated to promoting environmental education, awareness, and action – with many international events taking place. Most notably, Earth Day, held each year on April 22, is the largest civic event in the world. The City Nature Challenge is an excellent opportunity for the community to celebrate nature and conclude Earth Month with a friendly competition. 

Join us at one or all of the following five events happening in Port Moody:

1. City Nature Challenge – Fish & Friends of Noons Creek
When: Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 9am to 11am
Where: Noons Creek Hatchery (340 Ioco Road, follow the trail behind the Recreation Complex)
What: Discover wildlife around Noons Creek and the role they play in stream health. After a guided tour of this riparian area, use the iNaturalist app to identify insects and aquatic invertebrates, birds, fish, amphibians, and plants around Noons Creek Hatchery. Use microscopes to get a close-up view of the critters in Noons Creek. You can download the iNaturalist app for iPhone or Android in advance of this event.
Registration required? Yes (all ages; youth/children-focused) – visit portmoody.ca/signmeup and select “Educational Programs” under “Dept. of Environment and Parks”

2.  City Nature Challenge – Heron Walk
When: Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 11am to 1pm
Where: Shoreline Trail, meet at Recreation Complex tennis courts (300 Ioco Road)
What: Join us to learn about Port Moody’s resident Great Blue Heron colony with Burke Mountain Naturalists and help document the species around the colony using the iNaturalist app. Please dress for the weather with appropriate footwear for dirt and gravel trails and bring along binoculars if you have them. This walk will proceed as scheduled rain or shine. You can download the iNaturalist and the Merlin Bird ID apps for iPhone or Android in advance of this event.
Registration required? Yes (all ages) – visit portmoody.ca/signmeup and select “Educational Programs” under “Dept. of Environment and Parks”

3. City Nature Challenge – Shorebirds & Songbirds of the Shoreline Trail
When: Sunday, April 27, 2025 from 8am to 9am
|Where: Shoreline Trail, meet at PCT Stage at Rocky Point Park (2800 block Murray Street)
What: Learn about shorebirds and songbirds along the Shoreline Trail. Using the iNaturalist app to identify plant and animal species along the way, join Burke Mountain Naturalists for an informative stroll along the Shoreline Trail. Please dress for the weather with appropriate footwear for dirt and gravel trails and bring along binoculars if you have them. This walk will proceed as scheduled rain or shine. You can download the iNaturalist and Merlin Bird ID apps for iPhone or Android in advance of this event.
Registration required? Yes (all ages) – visit portmoody.ca/signmeup and select “Educational Programs” under “Dept. of Environment and Parks”

4. City Nature Challenge – Tri-Cities Bear Aware
When: Sunday, April 27, 2025 from 10am to 12noon
Where: Bert Flinn Park (entrance at David Avenue and Heritage Mountain Boulevard)
What: Stop by the Tri-Cities Bear Aware booth at Bert Flinn Park. Learn all about bears and coexisting with wildlife. Document the natural food sources of bears around the park using an app called iNaturalist. This walk will proceed as scheduled rain or shine. You can download the iNaturalist app for iPhone or Android in advance of this event.
Registration required? No

5. City Nature Challenge – Marine Species ID with BIMES
When: Sunday, April 27, 2025 from 1:30pm to 3pm
Where: Ioco Boat Club (4th Ave, Port Moody)
What: Join Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society (BIMES) on an exploration to identify marine plants and animals in the Burrard Inlet with an easy app (iNaturalist) and contribute to a global database. Please dress for the weather, as this tour will proceed as scheduled rain or shine. Be sure to download the iNaturalist app for iPhone or Android in advance. Note that this event will take place on a boat and dock. A Personal Flotation Device (PFD) will be provided and must be worn at all times during the event. Participants are welcome to bring their own PFD.
Registration required? Yes (all ages) – visit portmoody.ca/signmeup and select “Educational Programs” under “Dept. of Environment and Parks” 

To record and share your observations, you will need to download the iNaturalist app to your iPhone or Android phone or your home computer and join the "City Nature Challenge 2025: Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD)” group under the "Projects" tab in the iNaturalist app. Visit iNaturalist Help for some great tips on how to get started and how to make and upload observations.

For questions about how to register, please email recreation@portmoody.ca or call 604-469-4556. If you have questions about the events listed above or the City Nature Challenge, please email environment@portmoody.ca or call 604-469-4574.