Earth Day the Social Distancing Way

Dear Friends,

This month marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. We are deeply concerned about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on our community, but want to support a safe celebration of this important milestone. We have teamed up with the Princeton University Office of Sustainability to create a series of Nature Scavenger Hunts and hope you will join us in this virtual activity.

Beginning tomorrow, we are launching the Plants of Princeton & New Jersey — an action-packed citizen-science campaign to help discover plants in Princeton and the surrounding areas. In order for this effort to succeed, we need you to get out there and observe nature, while continuing to respect social distancing advice.

To participate create an account with iNaturalist and join the Plants of Princeton project starting tomorrow, April 4. Throughout the week, look for plants in your yard, on your walks, and in local parks. Any plant will do, including trees, flowers, or anything else that catches your interest. When you find a plant, use the app to make an observation, or take a picture to upload. 

As you identify plants, take this opportunity to learn more about them and see what other plants are being discovered in our community. Which are native to our area and which are invasive? What other interesting facts can you discover? Regardless, your efforts support scientific research. Check out our frequently asked questions to learn more about this fascinating project.

As noted on our calendar, we have scavenger hunts lined up for each week of April. Please be safe and join us!