Wonder Walk: Identifying What's Around You with iNaturalist

Event Summary

Date(s): Sunday, August 9, 2026
Time: 1:00pm-2:00pm
Venue: Matthaei Botanical Gardens
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Event Description

Matthaei Botanical Gardens hosts free guided nature walks on select Wednesdays and Sundays. They recommend gathering in the lobby about 10 minutes before the event starts.

Wonder Walks are for all ages and no registration is required. If there is a large mixed-age group they may split into smaller groups to offer the same content on different levels.

Have you ever wondered what that flower is, or what kind of bee just landed on it? Noticing what lives around you is the first small step toward understanding it. This approach helps researchers track the health of whole ecosystems at MBGNA and throughout Michigan’s unique ecosystems. Making these observations can also be a free and fun solo, group, or family activity! We’ll use iNaturalist, a free app that lets you photograph and identify the plants, animals, and fungi you find, learn about them, and contribute your observations to a global community science effort. Join iNaturalist Ambassador, MBGNA Education team intern, and EEB major Austin Melancon for an introduction to the app and a walk to put your new skill to work. Whatever kind of organism catches your eye! Bring your smartphone with the free iNaturalist app installed, or get help downloading it. Those without a smartphone are welcome to share with MBGNA staff to see how iNaturalist is used.

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	Date/Time	Event
💙🆓	August 9 1:00pm-2:00pm	Wonder Walk: Identifying What's Around You with iNaturalist at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor Michigan

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