Discover biodiversity with citizen science

Published on 16 March 2026

Banyule is home to a rich and diverse natural environment, with native plants, animals and fungi found across our parks, waterways and backyards. From well-known species to those rarely noticed, our local biodiversity plays a vital role in healthy ecosystems and contributes to our unique character.

Protecting and understanding this biodiversity relies on more than scientific research alone. Citizen science empowers everyone to contribute meaningful data by observing and recording nature where you live or visit.

These observations help build a clearer picture of which species are present and where, and changes over time.

The City Nature Challenge from 24–27 April is a global citizen science event that brings these ideas to life. Banyule residents are invited to explore their local area and record wildlife using the iNaturalist phone app.

We join other councils around the world in a friendly competition to document urban biodiversity. Every observation contributes to scientific knowledge and local conservation efforts.