Eco-Blitz Safety Guidelines
What do you need
- A smartphone with a camera and the iNaturalist app.
- An annual park pass, not required, but helpful.
How to document species
- Observe organism, plant, or wildlife species.
- Take pictures of it.
- Upload two or more of the best pictures into iNaturalist.
Tips & Tricks
Plants
- Take a close-up photo of the flowers. Then, zoom out for photos of leaf arrangements or the plant as a whole.
Wildlife
- Be discreet, the slightest noise or shadow can scare them off.
- Use a good phone camera.
- Get as close as possible, without disturbing the animal(s), or habitat.
- Attach camera lenses, if available.
- Keep your phone/camera steady. Make sure photos are in focus. Some phones allow you to highlight features you’re focusing on.
- Be quick and patient.
- For well lit pictures, have the sun at your back.
- Take multiple photos and capture key identification characteristics.
- DO NOT handle, touch, pick-up, or remove any flora or fauna found within park boundaries.
- Do not pick or remove flora for identification purposes. Use your camera as your tool.
- Stay on designated trails and walkways.
- Observe proper trail etiquette. Do not risk your safety or that of those around you to get a photo of the flora/fauna.
- Keep your eyes open for rattlesnakes and other venomous wildlife while participating in the program.
- Participants are responsible for their entry fees.
- An annual pass provides a discounted rate.
- Happy discovering and go have fun!
A special thank you to the Desert Botanical Garden/EcoFlora staff for assisting in the program development.